Final answer:
The correct word to describe image formation in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is indirect. The SEM uses secondary electrons produced by the primary beam interacting with the surface of the sample to create images. The SEM provides a 3-D view and does not require a thin sample.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct word to describe image formation in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is indirect.
The SEM uses secondary electrons produced by the primary beam interacting with the surface of the sample to create images. The beam is scanned around the sample in the x and y directions using electric movement, and a CCD detector processes the data for each electron position. The SEM provides a 3-D view and does not require a thin sample, but its resolution is about ten times less than a transmission electron microscope (TEM).