Question

The ultrastructure of a chloroplast is best studied using a:

a. light microscope.
b. scanning electron microscope.
c. transmission electron microscope.
d. light microscope and fluorescent dyes.

Answer 1

The ultrastructure of a chloroplast is best studied using a transmission electron microscope, which provides detailed internal imaging. Light microscopes require stains that can kill cells to see components clearly, and SEMs are for surface features.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ultrastructure of a chloroplast is best studied using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The TEM allows for high-resolution imaging of thin sections of the chloroplast, enabling detailed visualization of its internal structures such as the thylakoid membranes and granum stacks. In contrast, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is especially useful for viewing the surface features of samples, while a light microscope can be used to view living organisms, but it often requires special stains to distinguish cellular components, and usually, such staining kills the cells.

When viewing a specimen through a light microscope, scientists often use special stains to make it easier to see individual components of cells. Moreover, the basic unit of life is the cell.

Answer 2

The best tool to examine the ultrastructure of a chloroplast is a transmission electron microscope due to its high resolution.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ultrastructure of a chloroplast is best studied using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The TEM is particularly useful for looking at the inner configurations of cellular components such as chloroplasts, due to its high resolution. In contrast, light microscopes, while useful for observing living organisms and cells when stained, do not provide the necessary detail to view the ultrastructure of chloroplasts. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is better suited for viewing surface features, while fluorescent dyes used with light microscopy can highlight specific structures but not the ultrastructure. For observing thick structures, such as biofilms, a confocal scanning laser microscope would be ideal.