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GCSE Biology · key term
An electron microscope that forms an image from electrons transmitted through a very thin specimen, revealing internal detail.
Used by Edexcel and OCR
Specification 1.3 · Paper 1, Paper 2
Revise: Microscope TechnologyA transmission electron microscope (TEM) directs electrons through an extremely thin section of a specimen. Some electrons pass through while others are scattered, producing differences in the image. TEM therefore reveals internal cell ultrastructure at very high resolution.
Specification B1.1c · Paper 1 (Foundation), Paper 3 (Higher)
An electron microscope in which electrons pass through an extremely thin specimen to form a highly resolved image of its internal structure.
Revise: Electron microscopyA transmission electron microscope (TEM) uses a beam of electrons instead of visible light. The specimen is cut into an extremely thin section so that some electrons can pass through it. Different parts of the specimen scatter or transmit different numbers of electrons, and electromagnetic coils focus the transmitted electrons to form an image.
Choose the microscope from the information required: TEM for internal ultrastructure, SEM for surface form, and light microscopy when viewing living cells is important.
Link cause to consequence: a TEM has greater resolution, so it can distinguish structures that are too close together to be seen separately with a light microscope.
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