Lesson 5:

Magnification

Cell size and magnification

unit

name

metre

cm

centimet
re

mm

millimetr
e

micromet
re

nm

nanomet
re

comparison to
metre

Standard
form

/100 = 1 hundredth

1 x 10-2

/1000 = 1 thousandth

1 x 10-3

/1,000,000 = 1
millionth

1 x 10-6

/1,000,000,000 = 1
billionth

1 x 10-9

Lesson 5:
Magnification

Animal cells =20 40m

10nm wide

Cell surface membrane =

Ribosomes = 20nm diameter Viruses = 40 100nm diameter

Lesson 5:
Magnification

Measuring cells &

organelles
microscope eyepiece is
fitted with a graticule
magnification allows
measurements to be
taken
graticule represents
different lengths at
different magnifications

Lesson 5:
Magnification

Eyepiece divisions at different

magnifications
Magnificati
on of
eyepiece

Magnificati
on of
objective
lens

Total
magnification

Value of one
eyepiece
division/m

X 10

X4

X 40

25.0

X 10

X 10

X 100

10.0

X 10

X 40

X 400

2.5

X 10

X 100

X 1000

1.0

(oil immersion lens)

Lesson 5:
Magnification

Example
The length of a nucleus is 3.2epu
(eyepiece units).
At x100 magnification, one epu = 10m
Length of nucleus = 3.2 x 10
= 32m

Lesson 5:
Magnification

A = I
M

I = image size
A = actual
image
M=

M= I
A

Lesson 5:
Magnification

Example
A cell has an image size of 50mm at a
magnification of x1200.
Calculate the size of the actual image.

A =A =I
M=

50 / 1200
0.0416mm

= 41.6m (0.0416 x 1000)

Lesson 5:
Magnification

Questions
1. A nucleus has an image size of 100mm on a
microscope with the objective lens at
x10,000. What is
the sizeOR
of the actual
0.01mm
image?
10m

2. A mitochondria in a plant cell has an image

size of 35mm on a microscope with the
OR
objective lens at0.0875mm
x400. What
is the size of the
actual image? 87.5m

Electron microscope
hmwk.
T1Discuss advantages & disadvantages of each
electon microscope separately
T2Compare and contract each electron
microscope
T3Use a table to show your comparisons
T4Describe the differences between the images
from
your own perspective