Answer:
c. smear preparation
a. fixation
b. application of staining dyes
Step-by-step explanation:
In the bacterial specimen preparation and staining order, the first step would be Smear preparation in which the smear of bacteria is formed on the slide.
Then the bacterial smear is heat-fixed so that the smear does not get washed off during the washing process in the staining procedure. After heat fixing the bacterial smear, the dyes are applied to the bacterial smear to stain the bacterial cells.
Therefore the correct order is-
c. smear preparation
a. fixation
b. application of staining dyes