Does an Electron Microscope Use Light or Electrons

Subject : Biology

Question:

The electron microscope uses high-energy electrons as well as a light source.

A. True

B. False

Expert Verified Solution:

The correct answer is B. False.

An electron microscope does not use a light source. Instead, it relies on high-energy electrons to create detailed images of specimens. Unlike light microscopes, which use visible light to illuminate the sample, electron microscopes direct a beam of electrons onto the specimen. These electrons interact with the specimen and are detected to form an image. This allows electron microscopes to achieve much higher magnification and resolution compared to light microscopes, making them ideal for studying extremely small structures like cells and molecules.