immersion objective method

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immersion objective method (oil immersion) A technique commonly used in reflected-light microscopy, especially when high magnification and high resolution are required. A drop of immersion oil or water, with a refractive index of about 1.51, is placed on the polished surface of the mineral and the objective is lowered carefully into the liquid. The advantages of the method include better observations of colour differences, bireflectance, and anisotropy.

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immersion objective method

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