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Magnification and Resolution

Two parameters that are important in microscopy are magnification and resolution.

Magnification

Magnification

  • Magnification is the process of enlarging an object in appearance.
  • The image size is how big the object appears to be in a picture or drawing, which will be in milimeters (mm).
  • The actual size is often given in micrometers (µm) - units must be converted so that they are the same.
Calculating magnification

Calculating magnification

  • The equation for magnification is:
    • Magnification = size of image ÷ size of real object
  • E.g. A mitochondrion is 20 µm long. An image of the mitochondrion is measured as 20 mm long. What is the magnification?
    • Magnification = 20,000 µm ÷ 20 µm = 1,000x
Resolution

Resolution

  • Resolution is the ability of a microscope to distinguish two adjacent structures as separate.
  • The higher the resolution, the better the clarity and detail of the image.
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