Question

Microtubules are filamentous structures in cells that maintain cell shape and facilitate the movement of molecules within the cell. They are long, hollow cylinders with a diameter of about 25 nm. It is possible to incorporate fluorescent molecules into microtubules; when illuminated by an ultraviolet light, the fluorescent molecules emit visible light that can be imaged by the optical system of a microscope.

Required:
If the emitted light has a wavelength of 550nm and the NA of the microscope objective is 1.3, what is the smallest resolvable separation between two objects in the microscope?

Answer 1

the smallest resolvable separation between two objects in the microscope is 2.58 × 10⁻⁷ m

Step-by-step explanation:

Given the data in the question;

the smallest resolvable separation distance between two objects in the microscope can be determined using the following quation;

`d_(min)` = Dλ/NA = (0.61)λ /NA

where λ is the wavelength of emitted light = 550nm = 5.5 × 10⁻⁷ m

NA = microscope objective = 1.3

so we substitute

`d_(min)` = (0.61)5.5 × 10⁻⁷ m) / 1.3

`d_(min)` = 0.0000003355 / 1.3

`d_(min)` = 2.58 × 10⁻⁷ m

Therefore, the smallest resolvable separation between two objects in the microscope is 2.58 × 10⁻⁷ m