Optical Microscope

• Light focused using glass lenses
• Light passes through specimen, different structures absorb different amounts and wavelengths
• Generates a 2D image of a cross-section
• Low resolution due to long wavelengths of light
• Can't see internal structures of organelles or ribosomes
• Specimen = thin
• Low magnification (x1500)
• can view living organisms
• simple preparation
• can show colour