AQA AS BIOLOGY - MICROSCOPES (advantages and disadvantages)

Explain the advantages and disadvantages of electron microscopes compared with light microscopes.
Advantages:

• electron microscopes can see smaller objects than light microscopes as they have higher resolution (can distinguish between objects close together)
• because electrons which have a shorter wavelength than light
• Transmission electron microscope (TEM) used to see 2D images of thin sections of a specimen
• Scanning electron microscope (SEM) can give 3D images

Disadvantages    

• with electron microscopes the intensive staining and preparation can introduce artifacts
• image is only in black and white with electron microscopes
• electron microscopes unable to use live specimen as specimen must be dehydrated whereas light microscopes can view live specimens
• specimens in electron microscopes must be in a vacuum

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