1.2 - Microscopy

Light microscopes

• A microscope lets us see things too small to see with the naked eye, which is why microscopes are central to studying cells.
• The light microscope is the older, more common type. It uses light and a system of lenses to form a magnified image of a specimen.
• Light microscopes were first used in the 1590s.

Key features

• Magnification - Up to roughly 1,500 times - enough to see individual cells and larger sub-cellular structures inside them, such as the nucleus and chloroplasts.
• Living specimens - Can be used to view living specimens, so cells can be studied while they are still alive.