Question

If a microscope has a resolution of 300 nm and you use it to observe 2 cells that are 320 nm apart, would they look blurry, or will you be able to see 2 separate cells?

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

Resolving power of an instrument is the power to show two very closely positioned object as separate entity. Due to diffraction of light sometimes two very closely held objects do not look separate. Their images appear to be overlapping on each other . Their images get blurred.

Similarly two stars which are millions of kilometers  separate appear to be a single star due to diffraction of light. But with the help of powerful optical instruments we can resolve them into separate star or look them as separate star This is called the resolving power of optical instrument.

A high power instrument will resolve very closely held object. An instrument which can resolve two objects 2 mm separate can easily resolve objects 3 mm separate .

The given problem describes a microscope having a resolution of 300 nm that means it can resolve two objects held as close as 300 nm . Naturally it can easily resolve two objects which are held at greater distance like at a distance of 320 nm. So it will definitely show two cells separate if they are at a distance of 320 nm.