Mica Piro Chapter 6: A Tour of the Cell Biologists Use Microscopes and the Tools of Biochemistry to Study Cells (6.1) Microscopy Microscopes first used by Renaissance scientists are all light microscopes (LM) Visible light passed through the specimen and then through glass lenses Lenses refract/bend the light so the image of the specimen is magnified as it is projected into the eye or into a camera Magnification: ratio of an object?s image size to its real size LMs can magnify about 1,000 times the actual size Higher magnification = less detailed image Resolution: a measure of the clarity of the image?minimum distance 2 points can be separated and still be distinguished as separate points Contrast: the difference in brightness between the light and dark areas of an image