The ability of light microscopes to clearly enlarge specimens is fundamentally limited by the
A)expertise of the microscopist.
B)quality of the lenses.
C)intensity of the light source.
D)techniques used in the preparation of specimens.
E)shortest wavelength of visible light.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The size of the smallest detail that can be observed with a light microscope is limited by the wavelength of visible light. The shortest wavelength of visible light is violet light with a wavelength of 400 nanometers, which means that the maximum theoretical resolution of a light microscope is roughly 200 nanometers. This is known as the diffraction limit. Therefore, even with high-quality lenses, the ability of light microscopes to clearly enlarge specimens is limited by the shortest wavelength of visible light.

The Ability of Light Microscopes to Clearly Enlarge Specimens Is