Classify the following as bright field, dark field, phase contrast, or differential interference contrast (DIC).
a. Sample must be stained or have its own coloration to be seen:
b. Specimen is illuminated with polarized light:
c. Generates a falsely three-dimensional image:
d. The simplest and most common form of light microscopy:
e. Generates a negative image using a hollow cone of light:
f. Generates a negative image in which light shifts are converted into visible changes in brightness and contrast:

Step 1: Understand the characteristics of each microscopy technique: Bright field microscopy requires stained or naturally pigmented samples to provide contrast; dark field microscopy uses a hollow cone of light to create a bright image on a dark background, producing a negative image; phase contrast microscopy converts phase shifts in light passing through a transparent specimen into brightness changes; differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy uses polarized light and Nomarski prisms to generate images with a three-dimensional appearance.