Final answer:
Distilled water is used on the slide ahead of the sample to prepare a wet mount for microscopic examination. It ensures purity and accuracy both in observing specimens and in diluting solutions for chemical experiments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Distilled water was added to the slide in advance of the sample to create a wet mount, which is a simple method for preparing specimens for microscopic examination. Using distilled water is essential in this context since it is free of impurities that could otherwise alter the sample's properties or interfere with the observation.
In chemistry experiments, distilled water is often used to dissolve a solute like sodium chloride to create a solution, allowing for the investigation of its properties—such as conductivity or polarity—or in the distillation process where impurities are separated from a solution.
For example, when observing water samples under a microscope, distilled water serves as a control to determine if any particles observed are from the sample or contaminants.
Additionally, during the preparation of solutions, distilled water is added up to a marked line on the flask to ensure the precise dilution required for accurate concentration.
Capping and inverting the flask multiple times ensures the solution is thoroughly mixed, hence distilled water's role is critical in both preparing microscopic slides and in creating precise chemical solutions.