A major breakthrough in the studies of cells came with the development of electron microscope. This is…
A major breakthrough in the studies of cells came with the development of electron microscope. This is because:
the electron microscope is more powerful than the light microscope as it uses a beam of electrons which has wavelength much longer than that of photons
the resolution power of the electron microscope is much higher than that of the light microscope
the resolving power of the electron microscope 200-350 nm as compared to $0.1-0.2 \mathrm{~nm}$ for the light microscope
electron beam can pass through thick materials, whereas light microscopy requires thin sections
Solution
On an average, the resolving power of a light microscope is $0.25-0.3 \mathrm{um}$, while that of an electron microscope is $2-10 Å$. The magnification range of the light microscope is 2000 4000 , while that of an electron microscope is $1,00,000-3,00,000$.
Related Theory
The resolving power of an objective lens is measured by its ability to differentiate two lines or points in an object. The greater the resolving power, the smaller the minimum distance between two lines or points that can still be distinguished. The larger the N.A., the higher the resolving power.