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 magnification-calculations
Exam code:9700
Magnification calculations
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Magnification is the number of times that a real-life specimen has been enlarged to give a larger view/image
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E.g. a magnification of x100 means that a specimen has been enlarged 100 times to give the image shown
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The magnification (M) of an object can be calculated if both the size of the image (I), and the actual size of the specimen (A), is known

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When carrying out calculations relating to magnification, the following steps should be followed:
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Rearrange the equation
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A = I ÷ M
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M = I ÷ A
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I = A x M
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Read and measure the relevant values from the question stem and/or any images provided
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Convert any units
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Substitute numbers into the rearranged equation
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Consider whether this value makes sense in the context provided
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Converting units during magnification calculations
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Cellular structures are usually measured in either micrometres (μm) or nanometres (nm), while any measurements carried out in an exam with a ruler are likely to be in millimetres (mm)
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There are 1000 µm in a mm
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There are 1000 nm in a µm
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When doing calculations all measurements must be expressed using the same units
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It is best to use the smallest unit of measurement shown in the question
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Note that magnification does not have units
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To convert units, multiply or divide depending on whether the units are increasing or decreasing
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Multiply when converting from a larger unit to a smaller unit
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Divide when converting a smaller unit to a larger unit
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Worked Example
A starch grain inside a plant cell was viewed under a microscope at a magnification of x850. The image of the starch grain captured using the microscope is shown below.

Calculate the actual diameter of the starch grain between points C-D in the image.
Give your answer in μm.
Answer:
Step 1: Rearrange the equation
We have been asked to calculate actual size, A, so the new equation should be:
Actual size = image size ÷ magnification
Step 2: Read and measure relevant values
We need to know the image size and the magnification
The image size has been given in the image as 20 mm
The magnification has been included in the question stem and is x850
Step 3: Convert any units
The actual diameter of a structure inside a cell would normally be measured in μm
The image size has been given in mm, so we need to convert this to μm
1 mm = 1000 μm, so we multiply mm by 1000 to give the value in μm
20 x 1000 = 20 000 μm
Step 4: Substitute number into the equation
Actual size = 20 000 ÷ 850
Actual size = 23.53 μm
Step 5: Consider whether the value makes sense
Plant cells measure between 10-100 μm, and the starch grain takes up a large proportion of the cell in the image
A diameter of around 23 μm could therefore be correct for this starch grain
If we had forgotten to convert the units and come up with a value of 0.024 μm, then this step would show us that this is probably too small and that we must have therefore made a mistake somewhere
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Magnification calculations will usually involve measuring images on a page, so you must have a ruler with you in an exam!
Be aware that the unit conversions given above only work if the initial measurement is taken in mm, not in cm. Any measurements taken in cm will need to be converted into mm before multiplying by 1000 to give μm.
Some exam questions may expect you to use a scale bar to calculate the magnification of an image. Remember that you can use a scale bar to find both actual size (written on the scale bar) and image size (the measured length of the bar), so these values can be used to calculate magnification using the equation M = I ÷ A
Responses