electron microscope
Meaning of electron microscope: An electron microscope uses a focused beam of electrons instead of light to produce highly magnified images of extremely small structures.
Definition of electron microscope
An electron microscope is a device that magnifies extremely small objects by directing a focused beam of electrons at a specimen rather than using visible light, as a traditional light microscope does. Because electrons have a much shorter effective wavelength than visible light, an electron microscope can reveal far finer detail than any light-based microscope.
There are different designs of electron microscope, including one that passes electrons through an extremely thin specimen to reveal internal structure, and another that scans a beam across a specimen's surface to create a detailed three dimensional looking image of its exterior. Both require a specimen to be specially prepared beforehand, since electrons behave very differently from light as they interact with matter.
In medicine and biology, an electron microscope allows visualization of structures far too small to see with a light microscope, including viruses and the fine internal components of individual cells, making it valuable for certain diagnostic and research purposes.
Used in a sentence
Electron microscopy was used to identify viral particles within the tissue sample.
Good to know
An electron microscope reveals much finer structural detail than a standard light microscope, but the specimen preparation and interpretation it requires make it a specialized tool used for particular diagnostic questions rather than routine examination.
Word origin
Where “electron microscope” comes from
Microscope is formed from Greek mikros, meaning small, and skopein, meaning to view or examine; electron derives from Greek elektron, meaning amber, after the material used in early studies of static electricity.