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Light and Electron Microscopy

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A light microscope uses visible light and can image living cells; an electron microscope uses electrons for far higher magnification but kills the specimen.

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A lab light microscope resolves detail near 200 nanometers; an electron microscope resolves detail near 50 picometers.

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A student may credit its sharper images to stronger magnification alone, missing the resolving power that actually reveals the extra detail.