Viruses are so small that they require what type of instrument to be seen?

• A. Special microscopes to be seen
• B. A standard light microscope
• C. No microscope can show them
• D. A simple magnifying glass

Answer: (A)

Viruses are much too small for ordinary light to resolve. The wavelength of visible light limits what a standard light microscope can clearly reveal, typically around a few hundred nanometers, which isn’t enough to see most viruses. To visualize viruses, you need instruments that use electron beams, which have far shorter wavelengths and provide nanometer-scale resolution. Electron microscopes (like TEMs and SEMs) are designed for this level of detail, making it possible to see viruses and study their structure. So the best choice is that they require special microscopes to be seen.