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Multiple Choice
What type of microscope allows resolution of objects that are about 5 nanometers in size?
A
Confocal microscope
B
Scanning tunneling microscope
C
Electron microscope
D
Light microscope
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of resolution in microscopy: Resolution refers to the ability of a microscope to distinguish two close objects as separate entities. The smaller the distance that can be resolved, the higher the resolution of the microscope.
Learn about the different types of microscopes: Light microscopes use visible light and lenses to magnify objects, typically resolving objects down to about 200 nanometers. Confocal microscopes are a type of light microscope that uses laser light to scan samples, improving resolution slightly but still limited by the wavelength of light.
Explore electron microscopy: Electron microscopes use a beam of electrons instead of light to illuminate the sample. Electrons have much shorter wavelengths than visible light, allowing electron microscopes to achieve much higher resolutions, often down to 0.1 nanometers.
Consider the scanning tunneling microscope: This type of microscope is used to image surfaces at the atomic level, but it is not typically used for biological samples. It can achieve resolutions at the atomic scale, but it operates differently than traditional electron microscopes.
Conclude with the correct choice: Given the requirement to resolve objects about 5 nanometers in size, an electron microscope is the appropriate choice due to its ability to achieve high resolution using electron beams.