A biologist examines an ultrathin specimen using a light microscope and a transmission electron microscope. The light microscope can distinguish between points 240 nm240\ \text{nm}240 nm apart. The transmission electron microscope can distinguish between points that are 800 times closer together than this.
The table shows the separations between two pairs of points in the specimen.
| Pair of points | Separation |
|---|---|
| P | 0.25 nm0.25\ \text{nm}0.25 nm |
| Q | 0.35 nm0.35\ \text{nm}0.35 nm |
Calculate the minimum distance between two points that the transmission electron microscope can distinguish.
Explain which pair of points the transmission electron microscope would show as separate points, and what a light microscope would show for each pair.
130 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Biology 1.1 Cell structures, covering 1.1.1 Viewing cells with light microscopes, 1.1.2 Sub-cellular structures and functions, and 1.1.3 Electron microscopy and resolution. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.