Answer
A light microscope cannot make an image of an atom because the wavelength of visible light is much larger than the size of an atom. The resolution of a microscope is limited by the wavelength of the light used to create the image, and the resolution of a light microscope is on the order of 0.2 micrometers, which is much larger than the size of an atom.
Work Step by Step
A light microscope uses visible light to create an image, and the wavelength of visible light is in the range of 400 to 700 nanometers. The size of an atom is around 0.1 nm, which is much smaller than the wavelength of visible light. Therefore, the light microscope is not able to resolve the details of an atom, and it would be unable to create an image of an atom.
To observe atoms, scientists use techniques like electron microscopy, which uses beams of electrons instead of light to create an image, or scanning probe microscopy, which uses a very small probe to scan the surface of a sample and create an image. These techniques have much higher resolution and can create images of atoms and even smaller structures.
In summary, a light microscope cannot make an image of an atom because the size of an atom is much smaller than the wavelength of the visible light used by a light microscope, making the resolution insufficient to resolve the details of an atom. The techniques such as electron microscopy or scanning probe microscopy are used to observe atoms and create images of atoms.
