LE1 MICROSCOPY Flashcards
What are the two main branches of microscopy?
Light microscopy, and electron microscopy.
What is the difference between magnification and resolution?
Magnification is the ratio of an object’s image to its real size (referred to as ie 40X), and resolution refers to the ability to distinguish one object from another.
Describe an advantage and disadvantage of electron microscopy.
One advantage is that it offers much higher magnification and resolution powers, but any live specimen is killed when viewed.
Describe an advantage and disadvantage of light microscopy.
It is advantageous because we are able to view live speciments, however it does not have as high of a magnification & resolution power as the electron microscope.
Describe the difference between the compound light microscope, and the stereoscopic light microscope.
think, what does the stereoscopic light microscope do?
The compound light microscope offers higher levels of magnification, however the stereoscopic allows us to view specimen in 3D .
What is a stain?
A stain is a coloured chemical that binds to certain structures of a cell/specimem, highlighting them and providing contrast.
Define field of view.
The field of view (FOV) refers to the amount of an object we can see. It refers to the entire circular field we are viewing.
What is working distance?
Working distance refers to the space between the objective lens and the specimen we are viewing.
What is field diameter?
The field diameter refers to the diameter of our FOV.
What is a plane of focus?
The plane of focus is an imaginary 2D plane where the specimen is in sharpest focus.
What is depth of field?
The depth of field refers to the thickness of the plane of focus.
Think of it like a movie scene.
What is the relationship between magnification and depth of field?
They are inversely proportional. As we increase the magnification, our depth of field decreases.
What is the relationship between magnification and working diameter?
They are inversely proportional. As we increase magnification, the working diameter decreases.
What is the relationship between magnification and field diameter?
They are inversely proportional. As we increase the magnification, our field diameter decreases.
