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Types of Data in Microscopy
Types of Data in Microscopy
You can use microscope images to collect data like numbers, size and estimations.
This is a magnified view of the lower surface of a leaf
We can use this image to record different kinds of data.
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/7wAHFtyISH2jc291TK4k.png)
What does the word "data" mean?
A) Video B) Image C) Information
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/7wAHFtyISH2jc291TK4k.png)
Numbers
We can use images from microscopes to count things.
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/7wAHFtyISH2jc291TK4k.png)
How many cells can you count in this view?
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/7wAHFtyISH2jc291TK4k.png)
Sizes
We can use images from microscopes to measure things.
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)
How long are the guard cells in the magnified image?
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)
How much has the image been magnified?
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)
So the image of the guard cell is 6 mm after it has been magnified ×200. How big is the real guard cell in mm?
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)
The real guard cell is 0.03 mm long. How much is that in micrometres, μm?
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)
So you can use measurements of size in the image to work out how big the real object is
real object size=magnificationimage size In this example, the real guard cell is 30 μm long.
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)
Estimations
From the size of one thing in the image, we can estimate the size of another thing.
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)
The real guard cell is 30μm long, so how wide is it approximately?
A) 40μm B) 20μm C) 10μm
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)
Summary!
You can use microscope images to collect different kinds of data.
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)
For example
You can collect data about numbers and sizes which you can use to also give estimates.
![](https://cdn.hejalbert.se/teen/blocks-images/en_GB/FKFY8z4eSC4t449Itbyg.png)