Microscope slide

A microscope slide is a thin sheet of glass used to hold objects for examination under a microscope. A typical school slide is 75 mm by 25 mm (3" by 1") and around 1 mm thick. There are a wide range of sizes and thicknesses available.

Since microscopes have a very narrow region in which they can focus, the object is typically sandwitched onto the slide with another thinner square, circle or rectangle of glass on top, a coverslip or cover glass, usually 18 to 25 mm to a side.

See also:

How to prepare an onion cell slide