Having Trouble in Biology? 3 Ways a Microscope Will Help You Better Understand Biology

Life is complex. Not just daily life, though anyone in the midst of a busy week could prove that point by sharing their daily planner! Life itself – animals, plants, humans – is complex at the structural level. Studying biology can give you a deeper appreciation for that complexity and find ways to describe and understand it.

A Microscope Helps You To Think Small

So much of the structural complexity of life is at the microscopic level that we don’t ordinarily think about it. Our eyes can’t see the small elements and patterns so we use tools that provide magnification. That’s why a microscope is an important tool for a biologist at any level, from beginning to advanced. It can be amazing for a beginning student to realize how much complexity there is in something as common as a piece of leaf, a dust mite or a hair from their head. A microscope gives you a powerful lens to see what’s there all the time, but which you need help to see. Understanding the complexities of something as small as a single-cell can also help provide you with a better understanding of life and how continues to pro-create.

A Microscope Helps You To Organize and Classify

Cells are complex because they are made to organize information. You may do a good job juggling a handful or dozen activities at the same time. A cell organizes information for hundreds or even thousands of different functions which help a living thing grow and flourish. From creating DNA to reproduction, cells help give every bit of life a unique look. The more advanced the cell is, the more complex, and the more fascinating to study whether it be in plants, animals, birds, or even humans.

Scientists organize and classify information about cells, and this is something you can learn to do too. Drawing what you see under the microscope and then learning to label its parts can help you distinguish between simple and more complex cells, and between animal and plant cells. It can also help scientists to determine the geneic make-up the specific organism. If they are studying plants, they could distinguish the type of plant or if they are studying animals, they could possibly distinguish the kind of animal, if there are any defects, and they may be even able to determine the gender based on the cell structure and the type chromosomes.

A Microscope Helps You To Think Like a Scientist…or a Mathematician!

Maybe biology isn’t your subject; perhaps you’d rather be doing math. You can bring math skills to bear on microscopic studies. Using simple tools like scale bars and millimeter rulers can help you figure out things like the proportionate sizes of cells. It can keep biology interesting for the math minded and lead you to a greater appreciation for the diversity of microscopic life. Learning to use a microscope properly can help improve your observational skills.

My name is Lizzie Weakley and I am a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. I went to college at The Ohio State University where I studied communications. I enjoy the outdoors and long walks in the park with my 3-year-old husky Snowball.

Lizzie found the information for this piece from www.mircoscope.com.