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Magnification etc with scale bars?

So the question is to calculate the magnification of this nucleus. It says its actual length is 7um and when I measured it, it was 3.6cm = 36mm = 36000um

So would I be right to do 36000/7 = 5143 and that's the magnification?

Also, there's a diagram of an animal cell and it's asking for the actual length of one of the mitochondria. It gives a scale bare of the whole cell as 20um, I measured the length of the picture of the mitochondrion and it's 8mm = 8000um, but I don't know what to do now to work out the actual length?O.o

Finally, there's a picture of a mitochondrion with a scale bar about halfway across the pic saying 2um and the image is 5.5cm = 55mm = 55000um, so again what would I do to find the magnification?

It's the use of scale bars that's really confusing me so if anyone could help with that it'd be much appreciated, thanks a lot! :smile:
Original post by Qaiys
So would I be right to do 36000/7 = 5143 and that's the magnification?


Yeah, that's right.

Also, there's a diagram of an animal cell and it's asking for the actual length of one of the mitochondria. It gives a scale bare of the whole cell as 20um, I measured the length of the picture of the mitochondrion and it's 8mm = 8000um, but I don't know what to do now to work out the actual length?O.o


You need to work out the magnification first. You know the cell is 20um actual size, so you need to measure the picture of the whole cell. Divide the length of the image of the cell by the actual length of the cell to get the magnification. You can then use that to find the size of the mitochondrion.

Finally, there's a picture of a mitochondrion with a scale bar about halfway across the pic saying 2um and the image is 5.5cm = 55mm = 55000um, so again what would I do to find the magnification?


The bar is telling you the actual length of that part of the object. If you measure the length of the bar, you get the magnified length of that same part. So you can divide the image length by the real length to get the magnification.
Reply 2
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white_o
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Original post by JordanL_

You need to work out the magnification first. You know the cell is 20um actual size, so you need to measure the picture of the whole cell. Divide the length of the image of the cell by the actual length of the cell to get the magnification. You can then use that to find the size of the mitochondrion.


So The picture is 4cm long, so make the 4cm into 40000um then do 40000/20= 2000x magnification?


Original post by JordanL_

The bar is telling you the actual length of that part of the object. If you measure the length of the bar, you get the magnified length of that same part. So you can divide the image length by the real length to get the magnification.


The length of the bar is like 2.2cm so 22000um then 22000/2= 11000x Magnified?
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Qaiys
So The picture is 4cm long, so make the 4cm into 40000um then do 40000/20= 2000x magnification?


Yep, that's correct.

The length of the bar is like 2.2cm so 22000um then 22000/2= 11000x Magnified?


Also correct.

Let me know if you don't understand why that is and I can try to explain.
Reply 4
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white_o
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Original post by JordanL_
Yep, that's correct.
Let me know if you don't understand why that is and I can try to explain.


So then for the actual length would I do 8000/2000= 4um?

And it's fine, I completely get it now thanks so much :smile:!
Original post by Qaiys
So then for the actual length would I do 8000/2000= 4um?

Yeah.

Glad I could help! :smile:

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