Biology AS CIE
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1-cell-structure10 主题
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS viruses
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS prokaryotic-v-eukaryotic-cells
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS the-vital-role-of-atp
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS animal-and-plant-cells
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS eukaryotic-cell-structures-and-functions
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS calculating-actual-size
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS resolution-and-magnification
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS eyepiece-graticules-and-stage-micrometers
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS magnification-calculations
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS the-microscope-in-cell-studies
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS viruses
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2-biological-molecules19 主题
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2-4-water AS water-and-the-hydrogen-bond
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2-4-water AS the-role-of-water-in-living-organisms
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2-3-proteins AS collagen
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2-3-proteins AS haemoglobin
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2-3-proteins AS globular-and-fibrous-proteins
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2-3-proteins AS protein-shape
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2-3-proteins AS the-four-levels-of-protein-structure
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2-3-proteins AS amino-acids-and-the-peptide-bond
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS phospholipids
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS triglycerides
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS cellulose
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS starch-and-glycogen
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS the-glycosidic-bond
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS reducing-and-non-reducing-sugars
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS covalent-bonds-in-polymers
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS biological-molecules-key-terms
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2-1-testing-for-biological-molecules AS testing-for-non-reducing-sugars
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2-1-testing-for-biological-molecules AS the-benedicts-test
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2-1-testing-for-biological-molecules AS biological-molecule-tests
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2-4-water AS water-and-the-hydrogen-bond
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3-enzymes13 主题
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS enzyme-activity-immobilised-v-free
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS enzyme-inhibitors
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS vmax-and-the-michaelis-menten-constant
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-inhibitor-concentration
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-substrate-concentration
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-enzyme-concentration
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-ph
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-temperature
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS colorimetry
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS measuring-enzyme-activity
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS how-enzymes-work
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS enzyme-action
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS enzymes
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS enzyme-activity-immobilised-v-free
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4-cell-membranes-and-transport16 主题
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS comparing-osmosis-in-plants-and-animals
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS osmosis-in-animals
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS osmosis-in-plant-cells
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS estimating-water-potential-in-plants
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS investigating-surface-area
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS surface-area-to-volume-ratios
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS investigating-diffusion
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS investigating-transport-processes-in-plants
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS endocytosis-and-exocytosis
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS active-transport
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS osmosis
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS diffusion
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4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes AS cell-signalling
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4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes AS the-cell-surface-membrane
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4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes AS components-of-cell-surface-membranes
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4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes AS the-fluid-mosaic-model
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS comparing-osmosis-in-plants-and-animals
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5-the-mitotic-cell-cycle8 主题
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5-2-chromosome-behaviour-in-mitosis AS observing-mitosis
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5-2-chromosome-behaviour-in-mitosis AS the-stages-of-mitosis
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS how-tumours-form
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS the-role-of-stem-cells
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS the-role-of-telomeres-
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS the-cell-cycle
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS mitosis
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS chromosome-structure
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5-2-chromosome-behaviour-in-mitosis AS observing-mitosis
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6-nucleic-acids-and-protein-synthesis9 主题
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS gene-mutations
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS transcription
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS constructing-polypeptides
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS the-universal-genetic-code
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS from-gene-to-polypeptide
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6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna AS the-structure-of-rna
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6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna AS semi-conservative-dna-replication
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6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna AS the-structure-of-dna
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6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna AS nucleotides
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS gene-mutations
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7-transport-in-plants11 主题
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS phloem-mass-flow
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS the-sucrose-loading-mechanism
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS movement-in-the-phloem
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS xerophytic-plant-leaf-adaptations
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS water-and-the-transpiration-pull
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS transpiration-in-plants
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS water-and-mineral-ion-transport-in-plants
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7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues AS phloem-sieve-tube-elements
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7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues AS xylem-vessels-elements
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7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues AS xylem-and-phloem-distribution
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7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues AS plant-transverse-sections
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS phloem-mass-flow
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8-transport-in-mammals16 主题
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8-3-the-heart AS heart-action
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8-3-the-heart AS the-cardiac-cycle
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8-3-the-heart AS the-walls-of-the-heart
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8-3-the-heart AS structure-of-the-heart
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS the-bohr-shift
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS the-oxygen-dissociation-curve
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS plasma-and-carbon-dioxide
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS the-chloride-shift
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS red-blood-cells-haemoglobin-and-oxygen
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS blood-tissue-fluid-and-lymph
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS the-role-of-water-in-circulation
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS cells-of-the-blood
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS blood-vessels-structures-and-functions
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS observing-and-drawing-blood-vessels
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS the-main-blood-vessels
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS circulatory-systems
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8-3-the-heart AS heart-action
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9-gas-exchange6 主题
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS gas-exchange-processes
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS structures-and-functions-of-the-gas-exchange-system
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS recognising-structures
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS recognising-tissues
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS distribution-of-tissues
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS the-human-gas-exchange-system
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS gas-exchange-processes
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10-infectious-diseases6 主题
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11-immunity10 主题
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS vaccination-to-control-disease
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS how-vaccines-work
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS types-of-immunity
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS uses-of-monoclonal-antibodies
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS making-monoclonal-antibodies
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS antibodies
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11-1-the-immune-system AS memory-cells-and-immunity
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11-1-the-immune-system AS primary-immune-response
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11-1-the-immune-system AS antigens
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11-1-the-immune-system AS phagocytes
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS vaccination-to-control-disease
1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS calculating-actual-size
Exam code:9700
Calculating actual size
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When using microscopes to study biological specimens, it is possible to calculate the actual size of organisms, cells, and parts of cells
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The actual size of specimens can be calculated using the magnification and the measured size of an image as follows:
Actual size = image size ÷ magnification
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Magnification is sometimes provided in an exam question stem
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Magnification can be calculated from the scale bar of an image
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Sometimes magnification is calculated from information about the magnification of the eyepiece lens and the objective lens
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Remember that the equation above is part of the equation triangle from calculating magnification

Worked Example
Using a scale bar to calculate actual size
A lab technician observed bacterial cells with an electron microscope, and produced the image below.
The scale bar measures 2 cm in length, and the length of the technician’s image of one bacterial cell measures 7.6 cm.

Use the information provided to calculate the actual length of a bacterial cell in the image.
Answer:
Step 1: Use the scale bar to calculate the magnification of the image
The equation triangle for magnification tells us that:
Magnification = image size ÷ actual size
The scale bar measures 2 cm = 20 mm = 20 000 μm
The scale bar represents an actual size of 1 μm
Magnification = 20 000 ÷ 1
= 20 000
Step 2: Substitute values into the equation for actual size
Actual size = image size ÷ magnification
The question stem tells us that one cell = 7.6 cm = 76 mm = 76 000 μm
Magnification is ×20 000
Actual size = 76 000 ÷ 20 000
= 3.8
Therefore, the actual length of a bacterial cell in this image is 3.8 μm
Worked Example
Using lens magnification to calculate actual size
A scientist looked at a sample of red blood cells under a light microscope.
The eyepiece lens of the microscope had a magnification of ×10 and the objective lens had a magnification of ×40.
The scientist produced a photomicrograph of the blood cells, shown below, in which the red blood cells have an average diameter of 3 mm when measured using a ruler.

Calculate the average diameter of the red blood cells in the sample. Give your answer in micrometres.
Answer:
Step 1: Calculate the total magnification of the specimen
Total magnification = eyepiece lens magnification × objective lens magnification
10 × 40 = 400
Magnification = ×400
Step 2: Convert the image size into μm
1 mm = 1000 μm
3 × 1000 = 3000
Image size = 3000 μm
Step 3: Substitute values into equation for actual size
Actual size = image size ÷ magnification
Actual size = 3000 ÷ 400
= 7.5
Therefore, the average size of a red blood cell in this sample is 7.5 μm
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Note that you would be expected to use your own ruler to provide image size measurements in actual size calculations.
Don’t forget to convert units in calculations like this!
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