Microscopy

• What are the main components of a light microscope?


  Base, arm, light source, stage, objective lenses, eyepiece lens, body tube, focusing knobs
• What is the function of the base in a light microscope?


  It supports the entire microscope
• What connects the base to the top of a light microscope?


  The arm
• What type of light source can be used in a light microscope?


  A lamp or a mirror reflecting room light
• Where is the microscope slide placed in a light microscope?


  On the stage
• How many objective lenses are typically found in a light microscope?


  Three objective lenses
• What are the possible magnifications of the objective lenses?


  10 times, 20 times, and 50 times
• What is the purpose of the eyepiece lens in a light microscope?


  It has a fixed magnification and is where we look into the microscope
• What are the coarse and fine focusing knobs used for?


  To help get the image in focus
• What does the term 'image' refer to in microscopy?


  The visual representation seen when looking through the microscope
• How does light travel through a light microscope?


  It reflects off the mirror, passes through the object, and through the lenses into the eye
• What is magnification in microscopy?


  How many times larger the image is than the object
• What is the equation for calculating magnification?


  Magnification = image size / object size
• What is resolution in microscopy?


  The shortest distance between two points on an object that can still be distinguished as separate
• How does resolution affect the detail of an image?


  Higher resolution allows for more detail and less blurriness
• What can be inferred about two images of onion cells with the same magnification but different resolutions?


  The image with lower resolution appears blurrier and has less detail
• What are the key terms related to microscopy that need to be understood?

  • Object: The real sample being observed
  • Image: The visual representation seen through the microscope
  • Magnification: How many times larger the image is than the object
  • Resolution: The shortest distance between two distinguishable points
• What is the process of light travel in a light microscope?


  1. Light hits the mirror and reflects upwards
  2. Light passes through the object on the stage
  3. Light goes through the objective lens
  4. Light passes through the eyepiece lens
  5. Light enters the eye
• What is the relationship between magnification and resolution?


  • Magnification increases the size of the image
  • Resolution determines the clarity and detail of the image
  • Higher magnification does not guarantee higher resolution
• What type of microscope is commonly used in classrooms?


  Light microscope
• What is a key advantage of light microscopes?


  They are small, easy to use, and relatively cheap
• What is the resolution limit of light microscopes?


  0.2 micrometers
• Why do light microscopes struggle to study subcellular structures?


  Because their resolution is limited to 0.2 micrometers
• What are the characteristics of electron microscopes?


  They are large, expensive, and hard to use
• What is the wavelength of electrons used in electron microscopes?


  0.1 nanometers
• How does the resolution of electron microscopes compare to that of light microscopes?


  Electron microscopes have 2000 times better resolution
• What type of structures can be studied using electron microscopes?


  Subcellular structures like mitochondria
• What is the significance of having a smaller resolution value in microscopy?


  A smaller value allows for the observation of tinier details
• What are the pros and cons of light and electron microscopes?

  **Light Microscopes:**

  • Pros: Small, easy to use, cheap
  • Cons: Limited resolution (0.2 micrometers)

  
  

  **Electron Microscopes:**

  • Pros: High resolution (0.1 nanometers), can study subcellular structures
  • Cons: Large, expensive, hard to use
• What type of cell structure was observed in the electron microscope image mentioned?


  Nucleus and mitochondria
• What is the main takeaway regarding light and electron microscopes?


  To compare their pros and cons