A beetle's body is enclosed in a rigid shell that forms a hard casing. What type of microscope would a student use to study the color patterns on a living beetle's shell? dissection microscope transmission microscope compound light microscope

## Step 1<br />The problem is to identify the type of microscope that would be most suitable for studying the color patterns on a living beetle's shell. The options provided are a dissection microscope, a transmission microscope, and a compound light microscope.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />A dissection microscope, also known as a stereo microscope, is designed for viewing larger, three-dimensional objects at low magnification. This type of microscope is ideal for observing the surface details of larger objects, such as a beetle's shell, because it provides a three-dimensional view and has a larger field of view compared microscopes.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />A transmission microscope, on the other hand, is used for viewing thin specimens and is not suitable for studying the surface details of a beetle's shell.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />A compound light microscope is typically used for viewing small, thinly sliced sections of specimens and is not ideal for observing larger, solid objects like a beetle's shell.