Final answer:
A transmission electron microscope (option b) is best for revealing the detailed internal structure of cells. It allows for high-resolution imaging of cell ultrastructure, unlike SEM, which is used for surface imaging, and light microscopes, which are suited for live cells and surface details.
Step-by-step explanation:
A transmission electron microscope (TEM) is used to reveal the detailed internal structure of cells. In TEM, an electron beam penetrates the cell, providing intricate details of a cell's internal structures. This contrasts with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), which scans a cell's surface to render cell surface characteristics, and a light microscope, which is suitable for viewing live cells that may be stained and for observing the surface of cells, but not the detailed internal structures that TEM can provide.
For example, a TEM would be the tool of choice for a biologist who wants to observe the ultrastructure of organelles within a cell. Whereas for particular applications such as viewing three-dimensional external shapes at high magnification, a SEM would be more appropriate. It is important to note that both types of electron microscopes are more bulky and expensive compared to light microscopes.
Regarding the visualization of thick structures like biofilms, a confocal laser scanning microscope is particularly useful. This type of microscope allows for the imaging of sections within these thick structures, which can then be compiled to create a three-dimensional representation of the sample.