What is a fluorescence microscope?
Q: What is a fluorescence microscope?
A: A fluorescence microscope is an optical microscope that uses fluorescence and phosphorescence to study organic or inorganic substances.
Q: What does the term "fluorescence microscope" mean?
A: The term "fluorescence microscope" means any microscope that uses fluorescence to make a picture, regardless of its complexity.
Q: What is the design of most fluorescence microscopes used in the life sciences?
A: Most fluorescence microscopes used in the life sciences are of the epifluorescence design, as shown in the diagram.
Q: How does a fluorescence microscope illuminate the specimen?
A: Light of the excitation wavelength illuminates the specimen through the objective lens.
Q: How does a fluorescence microscope detect the fluorescence emitted by the specimen?
A: The fluorescence emitted by the specimen is focused onto the detector.
Q: What is the function of the dichroic beamsplitter in a fluorescence microscope?
A: The dichroic beamsplitter acts as a wavelength-specific filter, transmitting fluoresced light through to the eyepiece or detector, but reflecting any remaining excitation light back towards the source.
Q: What is the difference between fluorescence and phosphorescence?
A: Fluorescence is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation, while phosphorescence is a type of photoluminescence that involves a delay between absorption and emission of light.
