There has been a push in physics education to incorporate computation into the classroom in a meaningful way; however, there is still much to learn about how combining computational work with traditional laboratory work can support student learning. This scenario is especially relevant to a studio classroom where lecture and lab activities are integrated. For an introductory physics for the life sciences studio course, we have developed an empirical microscope lab to complement a computational activity that models the diffusive motion of particles in solution. The microscope lab was designed for students to develop and test their own hypotheses about microbead solutions experiencing diffusion, while the computational exercise served as a model for visualizing diffusion on the microscopic level. Taking a resource theory perspective, we compare the empirical and computational activities by analyzing student responses to pre-lab, post-lab, and final exam questions. We find that students perceive the two in-class activities as "realistic" or "idealized," and we present affordances and constraints of studying diffusion by computational and empirical means.