Question

A technician determines the length of a banana cell at both 100X and 400X. She determines the length at 100X is 75 um, but the length at 400X is 100um. Which measurement is more likely to be accurate and why?

Answer 1

The 400X magnification measurement of the banana cell is more likely to be accurate due to better resolution at higher magnifications allowing for more precise measurements, supported by the expected cell size range for typical plant or animal cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

The measurement of the banana cell at 400X magnification is more likely to be accurate because a higher magnification generally provides better resolution, allowing for more precise measurements. At 100X, the cell length was determined to be 75 um, whereas at 400X, it was measured at 100 um. Given that light microscopes in a college biology lab can magnify cells up to 400 times with a resolution of about 200 nanometers, it's more plausible that the cell length of approximately 100 um at 400X is the reliable measurement. Furthermore, the fact that a typical plant or animal cell can range from 10 to 100 um in size supports the validity of the 400X measurement.

Magnification enlarges the appearance of an object, while resolving power determines how well a microscope can distinguish between two points that are close together. With higher magnification and sufficient resolving power, a microscope can provide a clearer and more detailed view of an object, which is essential for accurate measurements. Therefore, the 400X magnification would be expected to give a more trustworthy measurement of cell length compared to 100X.