1. What is the primary limitation of a light microscope’s resolution?
a) Wavelength of visible light (~400-700 nm)
b) Magnification power of the ocular lens
c) Thickness of the specimen
d) Intensity of the light source
Answer: a) Wavelength of visible light (~400-700 nm)
2. Why is the image in a light microscope inverted?
a) Due to the reflection of light by mirrors
b) Because the objective lens forms a real, inverted image first
c) Ocular lenses reverse the orientation
d) Chromatic aberration of lenses
Answer: b) Because the objective lens forms a real, inverted image first
3. If a light microscope has a 40X objective lens and a 10X ocular lens, what is the total
magnification?
a) 40X
b) 400X
c) 4000X
d) 50X
Biology by Roshni Qayyum
Answer: b) 400X
4. Why must specimens in electron microscopy be dead and dried?
a) Live specimens absorb electrons
b) Vacuum conditions would destroy living cells
c) Electrons cannot penetrate hydrated samples
d) Fluorescence interferes with electron beams
Answer: b) Vacuum conditions would destroy living cells
5. What property of electron beams gives electron microscopes superior resolution?
a) Higher energy than light
b) Shorter wavelength (~1 nm)
c) Negative charge
d) Ability to penetrate metals
Answer: b) Shorter wavelength (~1 nm)
6. In TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), image contrast is produced by:
a) Absorption of light
b) Scattering of electrons by dense regions
c) Refraction of electrons
d) Fluorescence of the specimen
Answer: b) Scattering of electrons by dense regions
Biology by Roshni Qayyum
7. Which feature is common to both light and electron microscopes?
a) Use of lenses to magnify images
b) Ability to observe live specimens
c) Dependence on vacuum conditions
d) Production of colored images
Answer: a) Use of lenses to magnify images
8. A researcher needs to observe ribosomes (20 nm diameter). Which microscope is suitable?
a) Light microscope (res. ~250 nm)
b) TEM (res. ~0.2 nm)
c) Dissecting microscope
d) Phase-contrast microscope
Answer: b) TEM (res. ~0.2 nm)
9. Why can’t electron microscopes achieve infinite magnification?
a) Electron beams degrade over distance
b) Resolution limits detail detection
c) Lenses cannot focus beyond 50 million X
d) Specimens evaporate at high magnification
Answer: b) Resolution limits detail detection
Biology by Roshni Qayyum
Short Answer Questions
1. Explain why increasing magnification in a light microscope beyond 1500X does not improve
resolution.
(Expected Answer: Resolution is limited by the wavelength of light (~500 nm). Beyond 1500X,
images become blurred (empty magnification) because light cannot distinguish points closer
than 250 nm.)
2. How does the requirement for a vacuum in electron microscopy affect biological sample
preparation?
(Expected Answer: Vacuum dehydrates and kills samples, requiring fixation (e.g.,
glutaraldehyde), dehydration, and thin-sectioning to prevent electron scattering.)
3. Contrast the mechanisms of image formation in light (brightfield) vs. electron (TEM)
microscopy.
(Expected Answer: Light microscopy relies on light absorption/refraction; TEM uses electron
scattering by dense regions to create contrast in B&W images.)
4. Why are fluorescent tags ineffective for electron microscopy? Propose an alternative.
(Expected Answer: Fluorescence requires light, but EM uses electrons. Alternatives: Heavy
metal stains (e.g., uranium, lead) to scatter electrons.)
5. A student claims electron microscopes are "better" than light microscopes. Critique this
statement.
(Expected Answer: While EM offers higher resolution, it cannot image live cells, requires
complex preparation, and is costly. Light microscopy is versatile for live samples and cheaper.
Biology by Roshni Qayyum