You are a freshwater ecologist studying a local pond. You collected a water sample from near the pond’s edge, where plants and sediment accumulate. When you returned to the lab to examine the sample, you noticed that while the water is mostly clear, there are tiny moving particles throughout, and some material has settled to the bottom of the container. You were able to isolate three different substances from the water sample. Each substance was viewed under the microscope.
Substance 1
Substance 2
Substance 3
160 x
300 x
40 x
Click the image to enlarge.
Elodea is an aquatic plant. Under a microscope, its cells look like long, rectangular boxes lined up in rows. You can see green chloroplasts moving around inside each cell and cell walls clearly separating them. Elodea are composed of cells and are considered to be living.
Elodea at 400x magnification.
Salt is made of tiny crystals called sodium chloride. Under a microscope, each crystal looks like a small, clear cube with sharp edges. Sometimes the cubes stick together in little clusters, but you can usually see the square shape clearly. Salt is not made of cells and is therefore not alive.
Cheek cells are tiny cells from the inside of your mouth. Under a microscope, they look like irregular, flat, and slightly rounded shapes with a clearly visible nucleus in the center. The edges are thin, and the cells often appear in loose clusters. Cheek cells are composed of cells and are considered to be living.
Cheek cells at 500x magnification.
Quartzite is a hard rock made mostly of quartz grains. Under a microscope, it looks like interlocking, irregularly shaped crystals that fit tightly together. The crystals are usually clear, white, or light-colored, and the surface may appear sparkly.Quartzite is not made of cells and is therefore not alive.
An onion is made of layers of cells. Under a microscope, the cells look like regular, brick-shaped boxes lined up next to each other. You can often see the cell walls clearly, and sometimes the nucleus inside each cell as a small dot. An onion is made of cells and is considered to be alive.
Onion cells under 400x magnification.
Nylon is made of long, thin fibers. Under a microscope, these fibers look like smooth, thread-like strands that may be twisted or woven together. The surface is usually shiny or smooth, and you can see how the fibers are packed closely to make the fabric. Nylon is not made of cells and is therefore not alive.
Mystery Substances
Teaching and Learning
Created on October 15, 2025
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Transcript
You are a freshwater ecologist studying a local pond. You collected a water sample from near the pond’s edge, where plants and sediment accumulate. When you returned to the lab to examine the sample, you noticed that while the water is mostly clear, there are tiny moving particles throughout, and some material has settled to the bottom of the container. You were able to isolate three different substances from the water sample. Each substance was viewed under the microscope.
Substance 1
Substance 2
Substance 3
160 x
300 x
40 x
Click the image to enlarge.
Elodea is an aquatic plant. Under a microscope, its cells look like long, rectangular boxes lined up in rows. You can see green chloroplasts moving around inside each cell and cell walls clearly separating them. Elodea are composed of cells and are considered to be living.
Elodea at 400x magnification.
Salt is made of tiny crystals called sodium chloride. Under a microscope, each crystal looks like a small, clear cube with sharp edges. Sometimes the cubes stick together in little clusters, but you can usually see the square shape clearly. Salt is not made of cells and is therefore not alive.
Cheek cells are tiny cells from the inside of your mouth. Under a microscope, they look like irregular, flat, and slightly rounded shapes with a clearly visible nucleus in the center. The edges are thin, and the cells often appear in loose clusters. Cheek cells are composed of cells and are considered to be living.
Cheek cells at 500x magnification.
Quartzite is a hard rock made mostly of quartz grains. Under a microscope, it looks like interlocking, irregularly shaped crystals that fit tightly together. The crystals are usually clear, white, or light-colored, and the surface may appear sparkly.Quartzite is not made of cells and is therefore not alive.
An onion is made of layers of cells. Under a microscope, the cells look like regular, brick-shaped boxes lined up next to each other. You can often see the cell walls clearly, and sometimes the nucleus inside each cell as a small dot. An onion is made of cells and is considered to be alive.
Onion cells under 400x magnification.
Nylon is made of long, thin fibers. Under a microscope, these fibers look like smooth, thread-like strands that may be twisted or woven together. The surface is usually shiny or smooth, and you can see how the fibers are packed closely to make the fabric. Nylon is not made of cells and is therefore not alive.