Optical microscopes and electron microscopes are very useful tools used to observe objects too small to be seen with the naked eye. Both types of microscopes offer different advantages and disadvantages, allowing a wide variety of applications as needed. But they rely on different physical phenomena to achieve the same goal: to look at the microscopic world.
An optical microscope is a lens-based microscope. Use lenses to enlarge the object until it can be seen by the human eye. These microscopes can be used with light to reveal details that cannot be seen with the human eye. This light is used to increase the illumination of the object to reveal microscopic details, which would otherwise remain hidden. These devices allow scientists to observe objects at a microscopic level that would go completely unnoticed by the human eye.
An electron microscope, on the other hand, works with an electron beam rather than a lens. The electron beam is generated from a source of energy, and focuses on the object for high-level detail. These microscopes offer higher resolution than optical microscopes, allowing scientists to observe detail up to 0.01 microns. This makes them an excellent tool for scientific research.
What are the main differences between optical microscopes and electron microscopes?
Optical microscopes are limited by their increase in light. These microscopes typically have a resolution between 0.2 and 0.4 microns. This limitation makes it difficult for scientists to observe finer details. The light these microscopes use can also damage some smaller living organisms and deplete battery power. These microscopes require extensive preparation of the object. Also, only bacteria, algae, particles, and a few other objects can be seen.
On the other hand, electron microscopes have some advantages that make their use very attractive. These microscopes require very little preparation, unlike optical microscopes. This makes them an ideal tool for studies of more complex objectives, since they allow us to observe life, from bacteria to protozoa. The fact that they do not use light also means that this technology is less harmful to the object being observed.
Comparison of the availability of optical microscopes and electron microscopes
Electron microscopes are expensive and difficult to use, however, their use is a productive strategy for any scientist who needs to observe objects at a molecular level. These electronic technology-based tools provide a higher level of detail than optical microscopes, which is incredibly useful for science. In that sense, it is ideal for researchers who need a high level of detail of the images, in search of new knowledge.
Optical microscopes, on the other hand, are comparatively cheaper, are easier to operate and equipment is relatively simple to maintain. This is why in almost all laboratories of biology and bioanalysis there is a microscope of this type, which is very useful in identifying different types of cells, bacteria and parasites. The use of different types of radiation expands the possibilities of this technique and its powerful applications in laboratories.
In conclusion, both microscopes offer advantages and disadvantages depending on the use that each one has. Optical microscopes are useful but limited tools, being able to offer limited detail however effectively. Electronic microscopes, on the other hand, are more complete and advanced tools, with greater detail and without the need for light, making them extremely useful for scientific research.
The Novelty of Kalstein’s Optical Microscopes
Kalstein has a wide range of these products, which meet every need of medical and biology laboratories. In the case of the biological microscope, it allows magnifying objects up to 100 times, with five forms of visualization, such as epi-fluorescence, which allows highlighting certain characteristics of the cells of the tissues. The sale of this and other models, together with prices and purchasing methods, can be reviewed on the websites HERE and HERE.