# Cell measurement

Greg Foot explains the main differences between light and electron microscopes

## Light microscopes

Cells range in size:

• animal cells are between 0.01 mm – 0.05 mm
• plant cells are between 0.01 mm – 0.10 mm

The human eye can see objects as small as around 0.05 mm. A microscope is required to see cells in any detail.

Microscopes magnify the image of a so that it appears larger. The type of microscope used in a school laboratory is a .

Compound microscope

## Calculating the magnification of the microscope

The compound microscope uses two lenses to magnify the specimen – the and an .

In most microscopes, there is a choice of objective lenses to use. can be varied according to the size of the specimen and the level of detail required.

The magnification of a lens is shown by a multiplication sign followed by the amount the lens magnifies, eg ×10.

Magnification of the microscope = magnification of eyepiece × magnification of objective

So, if the magnification of an eyepiece is ×10 and the objective is ×4, the magnification of the microscope is:

magnification of eyepiece × magnification of objective

= 10 × 4

= 40

Question

If the magnification of an eyepiece is ×10 and the objective is ×40, what is the magnification of the microscope?

×400.

## Calculating the magnification of an image

Microscopes use lenses to magnify the image of a biological specimen so that it appears larger.

The formula to calculate magnification is:

$magnification=\frac{size\; of\; image}{real\; size\; of\; image}$

The formula shown in a magnification triangle