Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Which type of microscope can produce three-dimensional images of a cell's surface?
A
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
B
Compound Light Microscope
C
Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
D
Fluorescence Microscope
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the different types of microscopes and their functions. A compound light microscope uses visible light to illuminate samples and is typically used for viewing live cells and tissues. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) uses electrons to view thin slices of specimens, providing detailed internal structures. A fluorescence microscope uses fluorescence to visualize specific components within cells.
Recognize that a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is designed to produce detailed three-dimensional images of the surface of a specimen. It uses a focused beam of electrons to scan the surface, which interacts with the atoms in the sample to produce various signals that can be detected and used to form an image.
Consider the purpose of the observation. If the goal is to examine the surface structure of a cell in three dimensions, the SEM is the appropriate choice due to its ability to provide high-resolution images of the surface topology.
Note that SEMs are particularly useful for studying the morphology and surface details of cells, tissues, and other materials, making them ideal for applications in materials science, biology, and nanotechnology.
Conclude that for producing three-dimensional images of a cell's surface, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) is the correct choice, as it provides detailed surface images that are not possible with other types of microscopes listed.