Microscopy Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What is the magnification equation?

$\text{magnification} = \dfrac{\text{image size}}{\text{actual size}}$

What are the steps to find the actual size of a cell from a microscope image?

e.g. image width $8\ \text{mm}$, magnification $\times 400$

1. Rearrange: actual size = image size ÷ magnification
2. Divide: $8 \div 400 = 0.02\ \text{mm}$
3. Convert if asked: $0.02\ \text{mm} = 20\ \mu\text{m}$

What are the steps to work out the total magnification of a light microscope?

e.g. a $\times 10$ eyepiece lens with a $\times 40$ objective lens

1. Read the eyepiece lens power: $\times 10$
2. Read the objective lens power: $\times 40$
3. Multiply them: $10 \times 40 = \times 400$

What is meant by the resolution of a microscope?

The shortest distance between two points that can still be seen as two separate points.

Give one advantage of an electron microscope over a light microscope.

It has much higher magnification and resolution, so structures are seen in far greater detail.

Name two sub-cellular structures that can only be seen using an electron microscope.

Ribosomes and plasmids (also the internal structure of mitochondria and chloroplasts).