MICROSCOPES

1. What is the size of an eukaryotic cell?

Cells vary in shape from about 5 µm to 120 µm.

2. Compare the light microscope and the electron microscope in terms of their magnifying
power.
Light microscopes can magnify objects about 1,500 times (1,500 x), while electron
microscopes can magnify objects by 1 million times (1,000,000 x).

3. Based on their magnifying power how tall would you look if a life-sized image of you was
observed through a light microscope? And an electron microscope?
To work this out, you must multiply your height by the magnification, which is 1500 for a
light microscope and 106 for an electron microscope. For example, if your height is 1.65m,
with the light microscope it will be: 1.65 m x 1,500 = 2,475 m and with the electron
microscope: 1.65 m x 106 = 1,650,000 m (1,650 km).

4. The real diameter of a cell is 0.03 mm. When represented in a picture its diameter is 90
mm. What degree of magnification must have been used to obtain the image in the
picture?
The image in the picture is 90 mm in diameter. To calculate the magnification, you should
perform the following operation: 90 / 0.03 = magnification of 3,000 x.