Explain how to prepare a specimen for viewing in a electron microscope?
For a scanning electron microscope, the most commonly used type
of EM, there is no need to do anything other than stick it to an
electrically conducting pad. If the sample is particularly
insulating, it may be worth coating it with a very thin gold layer
to prevent the specimen from charging up with electrons from the
beam (this would blur the image)
For a transmission electron microscope, the specimen is most
commonly encased in epoxy resin before being sliced into thin
enough slices that the electron beam can pass through. The sample
is then placed on a fine copper grid before being placed in the
microscope.