When light crosses from one material into another, which statement about its frequency and wavelength is correct?
7 Light and Optics in Biology and Medicine Online Quiz Questions
Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 7 Light and Optics in Biology and Medicine, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.
True or false: Rods are highly sensitive in dim light, while cones support color vision and fine detail.
- A
True
- B
False
A lab wants to view a stained tissue section using contrast formed by light transmitted through or absorbed by the specimen. Which microscopy method best fits this goal?
- A
Bright-field microscopy
- B
Fluorescence microscopy
- C
Phase-contrast microscopy
- D
Raman spectroscopy
A fluorescent label absorbs light and then emits light. Which relationship between the absorbed and emitted light is typical?
- A
It typically emits lower-energy light at a longer wavelength than the light absorbed.
- B
It emits higher-energy light at a shorter wavelength than the light absorbed.
- C
It measures only light transmitted without absorption or emission.
- D
It identifies molecules by measuring only their refractive index.
Which spectroscopy method uses small wavelength shifts in light scattered by molecules to provide information about molecular vibrations and chemical composition?
Select all the microscopy methods described as able to reveal structures in transparent, living cells without staining by converting optical-path differences into image contrast.
- A
Phase-contrast microscopy can reveal transparent living cells without staining.
- B
Bright-field microscopy converts optical-path differences into contrast specifically to reveal unstained transparent cells.
- C
Differential-interference-contrast microscopy can reveal transparent living cells without staining.
- D
Fluorescence microscopy requires the specimen to emit light even when no fluorescent label is present.
For a uniform, dilute solution, use A=εcℓ. If ε=200 Lmol−1cm−1, c=0.002 molL−1, and ℓ=1 cm, what is the absorbance A?
True or false: Pulse oximetry estimates arterial oxygen saturation noninvasively by comparing light absorption at selected wavelengths.
- A
True
- B
False
Select all statements that describe limitations or potential biological impacts of optical methods in tissue or living samples.
- A
Scattering can blur an image.
- B
Absorption can reduce the signal reaching a detector.
- C
Visible and near-infrared light generally image more deeply through tissue than some non-optical methods.
- D
Illumination or fluorescent labels can affect observations or damage living samples.
An eye focuses images of distant objects in front of the retina. Which refractive error does this describe?
- A
Myopia focuses behind the retina; hyperopia focuses in front of it.
- B
Both myopia and hyperopia focus images on the retina, but reduce color vision.
- C
Myopia focuses in front of the retina; hyperopia focuses behind it.
- D
Myopia is caused by rods failing to detect dim light; hyperopia is caused by cones failing to detect color.
A microscope image is made larger, but two nearby structures still appear as one. Explain why increased magnification alone may not make the structures distinguishable, and name two factors that influence resolution.
In dim light, which retinal photoreceptors are especially important for detecting visual information?
- A
Rods
- B
Cones
- C
The cornea
- D
The crystalline lens
According to E=hf, what happens to a photon's energy if its frequency doubles?
- A
The photon energy is halved.
- B
The photon energy doubles.
- C
The photon energy stays the same.
- D
The photon energy becomes zero.
A researcher wants to see structures in transparent, living cells without staining them. Which method is designed to create contrast from differences in optical path through the sample?
- A
Bright-field microscopy, because it requires strong absorption by the unstained cells
- B
Confocal microscopy, because it removes all light scattered by living cells
- C
Phase-contrast microscopy, because it converts optical-path differences into contrast
- D
Pulse oximetry, because it measures transmitted light through the cells
A fluorescent label absorbs higher-energy light. Which description best characterizes the light it typically emits?
- A
It emits higher-energy light, typically at a shorter wavelength.
- B
It emits light at the same wavelength it absorbed.
- C
It absorbs light but cannot emit light.
- D
It emits lower-energy light, typically at a longer wavelength.
The crystalline lens changes shape to adjust the eye's focus for objects at different distances.
- A
True
- B
False
Which spectroscopy method measures small wavelength shifts in light scattered by molecules to provide information about molecular vibrations?
A uniform, dilute solution has molar absorptivity ε=120 Lmol−1cm−1, concentration c=0.002 molL−1, and optical path length ℓ=1 cm. Using A=εcℓ, calculate its absorbance. Enter a decimal number.
A clinician needs a cross-sectional image of retinal tissue without removing it. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) uses low-coherence light and to measure depth-resolved .
A thick specimen appears hazy because light from outside the desired optical section reduces image clarity. In confocal microscopy, rejecting much improves in optical sections.