Canada balsam

Canada balsam

Canada balsam, also called Canada turpentine or balsam of fir, is a turpentine which is made from the resin of the balsam fir tree ("Abies balsamea").

It is the fir's resin, dissolved in essential oils, and is a viscous, sticky, colourless (sometimes yellowish) liquid, that turns to a transparent yellowish mass when the essential oils have been allowed to evaporate.

Due to its high optical quality, its refractive index ("n" = 1.55, very close to that of glass), and its purity it is mainly used in optics as an invisible-when-dry glue for glass. It is soluble in xylene, amorphous when dried, and it does not crystallize with age, so its optical properties do not deteriorate.fact|date=February 2008

Some uses include:
* in biology to conserve microscopic samples. The sample is sandwiched between a microscope slide and a coverslip and Canada balsam is used to glue the arrangement together and enclose the sample to conserve it;
* in optical technology to glue together optical elements such as two prisms to form a beam splitter, or two lenses;
* to fix scratches in glass (car glass for instance) as invisibly as possible.
* in oil painting to achieve glow and facilitate fusion.

Canada balsam is sometimes incorrectly called "Balm of Gilead". The true balsam is a fir tree; "Balm of Gilead" is a type of poplar.


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  • Canada balsam — Balsam Bal sam (b[add]l sam), n. [L. balsamum the balsam tree or its resin, Gr. ba lsamon. See {Balm}, n.] 1. A resin containing more or less of an essential or volatile oil. [1913 Webster] Note: The balsams are aromatic resinous substances,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Canada balsam — Canada Can a*da, n. A country in North America, bordering the United States on the north. It is a federation which includes English speaking provinces and the French speaking Province of Quebec. [1913 Webster +PJC] {Canada balsam}. See under… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Canada balsam — kan əd ə n an oleoresin exuded by the balsam fir and used as a transparent cement esp. in microscopy for mounting specimens and in optical instruments called also Canada turpentine * * * a liquid oleoresin from Abies balsamea, which contains vola …   Medical dictionary

  • Canada balsam — n. a thick, yellow, resinous fluid from the balsam fir, used as a transparent cement in microscopy and in lacquers, flavorings, etc …   English World dictionary

  • Canada balsam — a pale yellow or greenish, slightly fluorescent, clear, viscous, bitter tasting, water insoluble liquid, having a pleasant, aromatic, pinelike odor, and solidifying on exposure to air: obtained from the balsam fir, Abies balsamea, and used… …   Universalium

  • Canada balsam — Kanados balzamas statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. balsam of fir; Canada balsam; Canada turpentine vok. Kanadabalsam, m; kanadisches Terpentin, n rus. канадский бальзам, m pranc. baume du Canada, m …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

  • Canada balsam — balzaminis kėnis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Pušinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, medieninis, vaistinis augalas (Abies balsamea), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. Iš jo gaunamas eterinis aliejus. atitikmenys: lot. Abies balsamea; Abies balsamea f.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Canada balsam — Kanados balzamas statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Balzamas, gaminamas iš balzaminio kėnio (Abies balsamea) sakų. atitikmenys: angl. Canada balsam rus. канадский бальзам …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • canada balsam — Balsam of fir, Canada turpentine …   New dictionary of synonyms

  • Canada balsam — noun A turpentine made from the resin of the balsam fir tree. Syn: balsam of fir, Canada turpentine …   Wiktionary

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