Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 9 hours ago

---

You can find all my A Level Biology videos fully indexed at freesciencelessons.co.uk/a-level-revision-videos/a-level-biology

In this video, we look at light microscopy and resolution. First we look at the advantages of the light microscope for viewing biological specimens. We then explore what is meant by resolution and see why light microscopes have a relatively low resolution.

Image credits:

Hi resolution image
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3D_Dual_Color_Super_Resolution_Microscopy_Cremer_2010.png
Andy Nestl, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Green ruler
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Righello1.jpg
Luigi Chiesa, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Finger nail
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fingernails2.jpg
Kommissar, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Ribosomes
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:0313_Endoplasmic_Reticulum_b_en.png
OpenStax, CC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Light microscope
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Optical_microscope_nikon_alphaphot.jpg
GcG(jawp), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Leeuwenhoek_Microscope
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leeuwenhoek_Microscope.png
Jeroen Rouwkema, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mitosis
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mitosis-fluorescent.jpg
US government, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

E. coli
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:E._coli_Bacteria_(7316101966).jpg
NIAID, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons