Optical microscopes use visible light to view samples. Due to the very small size of viruses, a microscope with higher magnification is usually required to observe them. However, since the size of viruses is close to or even smaller than the wavelength of visible light, this limits the resolution of direct observation of viruses through optical microscopy. Therefore, to view viruses in more detail, an electron microscope is often required.
Electron microscopes use electron beams instead of light beams and can achieve higher resolution than optical microscopes. Electron microscopy can provide higher levels of magnification and resolution of viral details, allowing scientists to study the structure and properties of viruses in greater detail.
The amount of magnification required to view a virus depends on the size of the virus and the level of detail required. Because viruses are often in the nanoscale range in size, higher-magnification microscopes are often required to observe them.
Light microscopes typically provide magnifications of 1000x to 2000x. This magnification is enough to observe some larger viruses, such as large DNA viruses.
However, for smaller viruses or where higher resolution details are required, an electron microscope is used. Electron microscopes can provide higher magnification, often reaching 100,000 times or more. This high magnification can provide a more detailed view of the structure and characteristics of the virus.
It is important to note that magnification is not the only factor that affects the observation of viruses. Resolution is also an important factor, determining the size of the smallest detail the microscope can resolve. For smaller viruses, a microscope with higher resolution is needed to capture finer details.