Chapter 7, Problem 9A

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The use of a light microscope over an electron microscope.

Introduction:

A microscope is a type of scientific instrument used in laboratories to visualize microscopic organisms not visible to naked eyes. Microscopes are of different types but the simplest of all and most commonly used one is the light microscope. It uses a source of light to illuminate objects along with a combination of lenses to magnify the object.

Explanation of Solution

An electron microscope is different from a light microscope as it uses an electron beam as a source of illumination and also magnifies any object more than 1000x. It is useful in observing objects that are quite small in size like a cell organelle which cannot be observed in a light microscope (except few). 

Along with the benefits, there are some limitations to an electron microscope. It can only be used to visualize a dead sample and not a living sample. Also, it is not useful in visualizing any fluorescence tagged protein or any stained sample. 

Therefore, to visualize a sample that is living or is stained or tagged with a fluorescent protein a light microscope is used. 

Conclusion

A sample that is living or is stained or tagged with a fluorescent protein should be visualized under a light microscope.