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All 12 Flashcards — Microscopy skills
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Question
Define magnification.
Answer
How many **times bigger** the image looks than the real object.
Question
Define resolution.
Answer
The ability to show two close points as **separate** — in short, how much **fine detail** can be seen.
Question
How are magnification and resolution different?
Answer
Magnification = how much **bigger**; resolution = how much **detail**. Magnifying a blurry image just makes a bigger blur.
Question
What does a light microscope use to form an image?
Answer
A beam of **light**.
Question
What does an electron microscope use to form an image?
Answer
A beam of **electrons**.
Question
Which microscope can view living, moving cells?
Answer
The **light microscope** — electron samples are killed and prepared first.
Question
Which microscope has the higher resolution?
Answer
The **electron microscope** — much higher resolution than the light microscope.
Question
How did the electron microscope advance cell biology?
Answer
Its **higher resolution** revealed **organelles and ultrastructure** not visible with the light microscope.
Question
Define ultrastructure.
Answer
The **fine internal detail** of a cell (e.g. membranes, ribosomes) that only the electron microscope can reveal.
Question
What is cryo-EM?
Answer
**Cryogenic electron microscopy** — it **freezes** a sample to capture a sharp snapshot of proteins and delicate structures.
Question
Which imaging technique freezes a sample to snapshot a protein?
Answer
**Cryo-EM** (a type of electron microscopy).
Question
One drawback of the electron microscope?
Answer
The sample must be **killed and specially prepared**, so you cannot view living cells.
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Full study notes for Microscopy skills
Topic 1.4 hub
Cell structure
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