Uses visible light and magnifying lenses to observe small objects
Lower magnification
Lower resolution
Maximum magnification x1500
Maximum resolution is 200nm
Allow us to observe sub-cellular structures known as organelles(examples: nucleus, mitochondria, and chloroplast in plant cells)
Extra notes about light microscope
The specimen should be put on a slide with a cover slip on top
The specimen should also be thin so that then light can pass through it
Stains are often used to help see different features of the specimen
Electron microscope
Use a beam of electrons in a vacuum with a wavelength of less than 1nm to visualise the specimen(A beam of electrons is fired at the specimen)
They allow a much more detail of a cell's ultra-structure to be observed and produce images called electron micrographs(`The electrons are detected and an image can be produced)
A magnification of up to x500000
A higher resolution of up to 0.1nm
Extra notes on electron microscope
Samples are stained using methylene blue for light microscopes
Radioactive salts for electron microscopy can be stained with this stain but there are others that can be used also.
Electron microscopes (Advantage)
Much greater magnification than light microscopes
We can see the structures inside the cells in much more detail
