A Brief History of the Microscope

Animalcules

Bacteria

Cells

Viruses

Microbes

Protozoa

Animalcules

Bacteria

They cannot magnify objects more than 100 times

They are unable to function in low light conditions

They are not powerful enough to see most viruses

They can only be used to view living specimens

Yes

No

They must be larger than the object

They must be able to pass through the object

They must be smaller than the object

They must be absorbed by the detection screen

Electron microscopes use photons, while light microscopes use electrons.

Electron microscopes use electrons, which have a much smaller wavelength than visible light photons.

Electron microscopes can only view living samples, unlike light microscopes.

Electron microscopes were invented much earlier than light microscopes.

They shoot photons at the sample and detect reflected light.

They use a tiny metal probe to physically feel the surface of the object.

They use high-energy X-rays to penetrate the sample.

They rely on magnetic fields to visualize atomic structures.

It uses a powerful laser to vaporize the sample, revealing atomic structure.

It employs a silver needle-shaped probe to guide and compress photons to a tiny apex.

It converts photons into electrons before they interact with the sample.

It relies on acoustic waves to create a vibrational map of the atoms.

Astronomy, geology, and meteorology.

Quantum physics, biology, and medicine.

Archaeology, linguistics, and history.

Oceanography, seismology, and volcanology.