One primary advantage of light microscopy over electron microscopy is that:

• A. it can visualize structures smaller than 0.1 nm
• B. it provides higher resolution images
• C. it requires a vacuum environment for operation
• D. living specimens can be observed

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the fundamental differences between light microscopy and electron microscopy. Light microscopy uses visible light to illuminate specimens, while electron microscopy uses beams of electrons.
2. Step 2: Recall that electron microscopy generally provides much higher resolution than light microscopy, allowing visualization of structures smaller than 0.1 nm, which light microscopy cannot achieve.
3. Step 3: Recognize that electron microscopes require a vacuum environment to operate because electrons can be scattered by air molecules, whereas light microscopes do not require such conditions.
4. Step 4: Consider the impact of specimen preparation: electron microscopy often requires extensive preparation, including fixation and dehydration, which typically kills the specimen, while light microscopy can be used to observe living specimens in real time.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the primary advantage of light microscopy over electron microscopy is its ability to observe living specimens, which is not possible with electron microscopy due to its operational requirements.