What is the difference between an optical microscope and an electron microscope
Optical microscope and electron microscope are two different kinds of microscopes, which are different in definition, classification and composition.
1. Different definitions
Optical microscope (English Optical Microscope, abbreviated as OM) is an optical instrument that uses optical principles to magnify and image tiny objects that cannot be distinguished by the human eye, so that people can extract microstructure information.
The application of electron microscope technology is based on the optical microscope. The resolution of the optical microscope is 0.2μm, and the resolution of the transmission electron microscope is 0.2nm. That is to say, the transmission electron microscope is magnified 1000 times on the basis of the optical microscope.
2. Different categories
According to the number of eyepieces used, it can be divided into trinocular, binocular and monocular microscopes; according to whether the image has a stereoscopic effect, it can be divided into stereo vision and non-stereo vision microscopes; according to the object of observation, it can be divided into biological and metallographic microscopes; according to the optical principle, it can be divided into polarization, phase contrast and differential interference contrast microscopes.
Electron microscopes can be divided into transmission electron microscopes, scanning electron microscopes, reflection electron microscopes, and emission electron microscopes according to their structures and uses.
3. The composition structure is different
The optical system of the microscope mainly includes four parts: objective lens, eyepiece, mirror and condenser. In a broad sense, it also includes lighting sources, filters, coverslips and slides.
Electron microscope consists of three parts: lens barrel, vacuum device and power supply cabinet.
