28. Comparison of advantages and disadvantages of the light and electron microscope UNSWFYBIO/2008JK It is possible to investigate a greater depth of field The depth of field is restricted Has a resolving power for biological specimens of around 1 nm Can resolve objects up to 200 nm apart Magnifies objects over 500 000X Magnifies objects up to 1500X Advantages Disadvantages All images are in black and white Natural colour of material can be observed A high vacuum is required and living material cannot be observed Living as well as dead material may be viewed Preparation of material may distort it Material rarely distorted by preparation Preparation of material is lengthy and requires considerable expertise and sometimes complex equipment Preparation of material is relatively quick and simple, requiring only a little expertise Affected by magnetic fields Unaffected by magnetic fields Very large and must be operated in special rooms Small and portable Expensive to operate – requires up to 100 000 volts to produce the electric beam Cheap to operate – uses a little electricity where there is a built-in light source Expensive to purchase Cheap to purchase Disadvantages Advantages ELECTRON MICROSCOPE LIGHT MICROSCOPE
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