Download or read book Qualitative Polarized-light Microscopy written by P. C. Robinson and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 1992 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Polarized-light microscopy is a valuable technique for researchers in a range of fields. It enables one to distinguish between singly refracting (optically isotropic) and doubly refracting (anisotropic) media, provides a means of studying stresses in isotropic media, and permits the identification and characterization of transparent anisotropic media. This practical handbook describes the use of a polarized-light microscope for workers in academic and industrial research. It provides a clear introduction to the principles underlying the technique, and explains how polarized light may be used to generate contrast in specimens. It will be of particular value to geologists, mineralogists, ceramicists, and polymer technologists involved in the study of minerals, rocks, crystals, and synthetic polymers.