1 As a biology studentyou have worked with lots of textbooks

1) As a biology student,you have worked with lots of textbooks that show

detailed cartoons of the organelles and parts of the cell. How do these cartoons compare to the level of information that you are able to observe from these various prepared slides?

2) The limit of resolution is set by the limit of the visible spectrum of light.List one object observed in one of the slides that you felt was reaching this limit of resolution?

3) Describe the differences in the amount of detail and information observed with using the fluorescent microscope versus the bright field microscope.

Solution

1) The cartoons of organelles and parts of the cell provide a detailed yet a rough idea of how they look. However, in the prepared slides when these organelles can be seen in a 3D view. Slides have to be observed minutely in order to obtain the exact information of the result in the slide. Cartoons are colored and organelles are specified through different colors and shapes whereas slides provide a realistic view and it takes some time to learn to differentiate the organelles based on their structure and outline.

2) This depends on the objects that you were assigned to observe in your lab. Although very tiny objects are more likely to reach the limit of resolution as the area is not under visible spectrum.

3) The difference in the amount of information obtained with using the two different types of microscopy are due to the different techniques involved for observing. The main difference is that Bright field uses only white light and is dependent on the difference in adsorption of light based on the difference in the densities whereas fluorescent microscope takes aid of fluorophores to filter and illuminate the structure by focusing light on the sample.