In the petrographic microscope, the light is collimated by the condenser into a bundle of beams,all parallel to the optical aids of the microscope. ... The light beams are polarized in one direction (by the polarizer) before the light reaches the specimen. This light is called plane polarized light.

How does petrographic microscope help geologists?

A petrographic microscope is a type of optical microscope used in petrology and optical mineralogy to identify rocks and minerals in thin sections. (Credit: Renee Pillers, USGS. ... This microscope can be used for optical observations and imaging of samples.

How does crossed polarized light microscopy function?

In a polarized light microscope, a polarizer intervenes between the light source and the sample. Thus, the polarized light source is converted into plane-polarized light before it hits the sample. ... These two waves are called ordinary and extraordinary light rays. The waves pass through the specimen in different phases.