How to make leaf specimens

Pressing method: prepare a wooden specimen folder. When pressing, change the position of the head and tail of the specimen from time to time. In order to promote the rapid drying of the specimen and maintain its inherent color, the dried papyrus should be replaced once or twice a day on the second or third day after pressing. After the specimen is pressed, pin it on a tough white paper with needle and thread, label it in the lower right corner, then put it in the specimen cabinet and put some camphor to prevent moths. Immersion method: soak the specimen in a specimen bottle filled with alcohol or formalin.

Make leaves into leaf specimens, which can be used as bookmarks or souvenirs. Here's how to make a leaf specimen.

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operational approach

0 1

To make a leaf specimen, you must first choose a complete and beautiful leaf, and the leaf specimen will look good.

02

Gently wipe the front and back of the leaves with a sponge or wet cloth, and then put them in a cool and ventilated place to dry.

03

Put the dried leaves on absorbent paper, spread a layer of the same paper on it, and put the leaves in the middle.

04

Put the paper with leaves on a flat or glass plate and press a stack of heavy books on it. After about half a month, the water in the leaves will be absorbed into the paper and the leaves will become flat and hard. After taking out the leaves, you can put them on cardboard, write down the name and picking time of the leaves, wrap them in plastic film, and the leaf specimens will be ready.

First of all, leaves need to be prepared for making leaf specimens. Netizens use the leaves of Magnolia grandiflora. The leaves of this kind of leaves are very thick, and the veins on the leaves are also very clear and firm, which makes the specimens look better.

Next, netizens said that the leaves should be boiled with alkali, not with water. Netizen recommended 10% sodium hydroxide solution. Anyone who has made handmade soap or used handmade soap will be familiar with sodium hydroxide, which is an important component. Sodium hydroxide solution is corrosive to some extent, so we must pay attention to self-protection when operating.

Next, open fire to boil the leaves. After the alkaline water is boiled, it can be boiled for another 5 minutes.

Five minutes later, Yu Fei took the leaves out with a clip and put them on the blackboard. I didn't expect the leaves to be rotten, but the shape remained intact.

The last step, according to the netizen's method, put the leaves on the board and brush them on both sides from the vein in the middle of the leaves with a toothbrush.

After brushing, put this leaf on a glass bracket and observe it carefully. The brushed leaves have really become transparent. Next, flatten the leaves with a heavy object, and after the leaves are completely dried, a transparent leaf specimen is ready.

It seems that this netizen's method can really make transparent leaf specimens. So, why can such a specimen be made like this?

This is because alkali is very corrosive and will corrode mesophyll. Because the fibers of veins are very tough and will not be corroded as easily as mesophyll, veins can be completely preserved, which is why we should choose leaves with clear veins. Sodium hydroxide is corrosive. You can also choose some weakly alkaline substances, such as edible alkali and soap. Of course, cooking with these alkaline substances takes a little longer, and it may take 1-2 hours.

You can give full play to your imagination and make various transparent leaf specimens. Students in front of the TV may wish to make a personalized transparent leaf bookmark by choosing their favorite leaves during the winter vacation. It must be a very good gift for teachers and students after school starts.