Wool

This is a photograph of the prepared "Common Goat" slide from the Cargille Hair Standard set. The plane of focus is on the center of the hair showing the pattern in the medulla.

Transmitted Crossed Linear Polarized Light

Definition/Function:

Significance in the Environment:

Characteristic Features:

Wool has a refractive index along its length of about 1.56 and perpendicular to its length of about 1.55. It has a birefringence of about 0.01 and a positive sign of elongation.

Associated Particles:

References:

Von Bergen, Werner, WOOL HANDBOOK: VOLUME ONE, Interscience Publishers, pp. 364-365, 1963