Description 1

You: ‘I doubt these two microscopes work the same way at all.’

Prof. Jones: ‘That’s correct. They differ in how the electron beam interacts with the sample. In one, the beam penetrates the specimen, and in the other, the beam scans over the surface.’

Which is the correct answer now?

Description 2: SEM uses a beam traveling through the sample, and TEM scans the surface for a flat image.

Description 3: SEM focuses a beam on the sample’s surface for a 3D topography, while TEM transmits electrons through an ultrathin section for a 2D-like internal view.