How Small is a Nanoparticle?
A nanoparticle is anything that is 30-100 nanome22ters in diameter. The metric system is based on the meter (about 39 inches which is a little over 1 yard = 3 feet) and multiples of 10 of the meter. For example, 1,000 meters is called a kilo3meter and one 0.001 of a meter is also called a millimeter.
The chart, below, shows selected multiples of the meter and their names in the metric system. Examples of items that measure about the length represe4nted are also given in some cases.
Animations to show this relationship:
- Earth to Nanometer
- Secret Worlds: The Universe Within (Florida State University)
larger |
Relation to |
Unit name |
Approximate size/distance |
10 +9 |
1 million kilometers or 1 gigameter |
3.3 trips to the sun and back* |
|
10 +8 |
100,000 kilometers |
2.6 trips to the moon* |
|
10 +7 |
10,000 kilometers |
One-quarter around the circumference of the earth* at the equator |
|
10 +6 |
1,000 kilometers or 1 megameter |
Distance from Portland, OR to Miami, FL |
|
10 +5 |
100 kilometers |
Distance from Detroit, MI to Charlotte, NC |
|
10 +4 |
10 kilometers |
Distance from West Lafayette, IN to Indianapolis, IN |
|
1,000 = 10 +3 |
1,000 meters or 1 kilometer |
About twice the height of the Sears Tower* in Chicago (0.62 miles) |
|
100 = 10 +2 |
100 meters or 1 hectometer |
Approximate length of an American Football field |
|
10 = 10 +1 |
10 meters or 1 decameter |
|
|
baseline |
1 |
1 meter |
4 year old child |
Smaller |
0.10 = 10 -1 |
10 centimeters or 1 decimeter |
about 4 inches |
0.01 = 10 -2 |
1 centimeter |
just under ½ inch |
|
0.001 = 10 -3 |
1 millimeter |
A dime is 1.35 mm thick |
|
10 -4 |
100 micrometers |
Width of human hair |
|
10 -5 |
10 micrometers |
Precise scientific instruments are needed for measurements of 10 micrometers and less. These lengths of measurement are so small that there is nothing in common, everyday experiences to compare them to. The main point of understanding scales is to understand that scientists study and have names for smaller and smaller units of length. The names are given here. |
|
10 – 6 |
1 micrometer or micron |
||
10 -7 meters |
100 nanometers |
||
10 -8 meters |
10 nanometers |
||
10-9 meters |
1 nanometer |
||
10 -10 meters |
100 picometers |
||
|
10 – 11 meters |
10 picometers |
|
|
10 – 12 meters |
1 picometer |
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