Biology – The microscope in cell studies | e-Consult

Magnification refers to the perceived enlargement of an object by a microscope. It is determined by the number of lenses used in the microscope (e.g., the objective lens and the eyepiece lens). Magnification is expressed as a numerical value (e.g., 40x, 100x). It essentially tells us how many times larger the image appears compared to the actual object.

Resolution refers to the ability of a microscope to distinguish between two closely spaced objects as separate entities. It's the level of detail that can be observed. A higher resolution means the microscope can distinguish finer details.

Differences: While magnification makes an object appear larger, resolution determines how clearly that object can be seen. Magnification alone doesn't guarantee a clear image; if the resolution is poor, the image will be blurry and details will be indistinguishable.

Light Microscopy: Light microscopy uses visible light and has a limited resolution due to the wavelength of light. The resolution limit is approximately 200 nm. This means that two objects closer than 200 nm will appear as a single blurred object. The resolution is limited by diffraction.

Electron Microscopy: Electron microscopy uses a beam of electrons instead of light. Electrons have a much shorter wavelength than visible light, resulting in significantly higher resolution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can achieve resolutions down to a few Angstroms (0.1 nm), while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) typically has a resolution of a few nanometers. This allows for the visualization of much finer cellular structures and even individual molecules.

In summary, magnification increases the apparent size, while resolution determines the clarity and detail of the image. Electron microscopy offers significantly higher resolution than light microscopy, allowing for the visualization of structures that are not visible with light microscopy.