Introduction to Microscopy and Cell Biology
This section introduces fundamental concepts in microscopy and cell biology, essential for understanding cell structure and function.
Microscopes are instruments that produce magnified images of objects too small to be seen by the naked eye. The guide explains two key terms:
Definition: Magnification measures how much larger a sample appears under the microscope compared to its actual size.
Definition: Resolution is the ability to distinguish between two points on an image, determining the clarity of the image.
It's important to note that increasing magnification does not necessarily improve resolution.
The text also introduces different units of measurement used in microscopy:
Example: Centimeter cm, millimeter mm, micrometer μm, and nanometer nm are used to describe object sizes at various scales.
Light microscopes are highlighted as the most commonly used due to their affordability and ease of use.
Highlight: The relationship between actual size, image size, and magnification is expressed as: Actual size = Image size ÷ Magnification
This formula is crucial for calculating the true dimensions of microscopic objects.
