A Sense of Scale. A Visual Comparison of Various Distances. Thanks to Tim Talbert for providing some of the data.

Transcription

1 A Sense of Scale A Visual Comparison of Various Distances Thanks to Tim Talbert for providing some of the data. Also see a similar page on Wikipedia x10-35 m 1.616x10-35 m the Planck length (the smallest measurement of length that has meaning) 1x10-15 m 1x10-15 m one fermi 1 fm 1x10-15 m diameter of proton (in the nucleus) 2.2 fm 2.2x10-15 m classical diameter of neutron 3.8 fm 3.8x10-15 m diameter of the nucleus of a helium atom fm x10-15 m classical diameter of an electron 7.2 fm 7.2x10-15 m diameter of the nucleus of an aluminum atom 14 fm 1.4x10-14 m diameter of the nucleus of a gold atom (The classical electron diameter is bigger than the proton diameter because the proton's size was measured in the nucleus, where it is trapped in a very deep, narrow potential well. The electron is in a comparatively wide, shallow well, so it takes up much more space. Talking about the sizes of subatomic particles is fairly meaningless anyway; in one sense, electrons and protons are point particles, with no size. And in quantum mechanics, we can only talk about the probability of finding a particle at a particular point, and cannot specify (or define) the exact position and size of a particle. The "classical electron radius" tells us little about the actual physical size of the electron. In short, I'm oversimplifying things.) 14 fm 1.4x10-14 m diameter of the nucleus of a gold atom 1,000 fm 1x10-12 m one picometer 1 pm 1x10-12 m wavelength of gamma rays 1 pm 1x10-12 m wavelength of gamma rays 38 pm 3.8x10-11 m diameter of flourine ion 52.9 pm 5.29x10-11 m most likely distance from electron to nucleus in a hydrogen atom (bohr radius) pm 7.413x10-11 m distance between bonded hydrogen atoms 100 pm 1x10-10 m one angstrom 120 pm 1.2x10-10 m Van Der Waals radius of hydrogen atoms (max distance between atoms that are not bonded) 200 pm 2x10-10 m resolution (size of smallest visible object) of a transmission electron microscope

2 248.2 pm 2.482x10-10 m distance between bonded iron atoms 275 pm 2.75x10-10 m Van Der Waals radius of potassium atoms (max distance between atoms that are not bonded) 282 pm 3x10-10 m diameter of water molecule 340 pm 3.4x10-10 m distance between base pairs in a DNA molecule 380 pm 3.8x10-10 m diameter of xenon ion pm 5.309x10-10 m distance between bonded cesium atoms pm 5.309x10-10 m distance between bonded cesium atoms 1,000 pm 1x10-9 m one nanometer 1 nm 1x10-9 m diameter of glucose molecule 2 nm 2x10-9 m diameter of DNA helix 5 nm 5x10-9 m diameter of insulin molecule 6 nm 6x10-9 m diameter of a hemoglobin molecule 10 nm 1x10-8 m thickness of cell wall (gram negative bacteria) 75 nm 7.5x10-8 m size of typical virus 90 nm 9x10-8 m length of transistor gate in a Pentium 4 chip (minimum feature size) 125 nm 1.25x10-7 m thickness of gold leaf 130 nm 1.3x10-7 m length of transistor gate in a Pentium 3 chip (1.4 Ghz) 200 nm 2x10-7 m diameter of smallest bacteria 200 nm 2x10-7 m resolution (size of smallest visible object) of an optical microscope

3 260 nm 2.6x10-7 m length of the smallest transistor in a Pentium 3 chip 410 nm 4.1x10-7 m wavelength of violet light 680 nm 6.8x10-7 m wavelength of red light 1,000 nm 1x10-6 m one micrometer (micron) 1 µm 1x10-6 m size of typical bacterium 1 µm 1x10-6 m diameter of sperm cell 1.5 µm 1.5x10-6 m length of transistor gate in an Intel 286 chip 1.7 µm 1.7x10-6 m diameter of average human cell nucleus 2.4 µm 2.4x10-6 m thickness of red blood cell 3 µm 3x10-6 m length of transistor gate in an Intel 8086 chip 4 µm 4x10-6 m diameter of capillary 7 µm 7x10-6 m diameter of a single yeast organism 8.4 µm 8.4x10-6 m diameter of red blood cell 10 µm 1x10-5 m diameter of average cell in human body 10 µm 1x10-5 m size of a grain of talcum powder 16 µm 1.6x10-5 m length of the smallest transistor in the first 6502 chips 16 µm 1.6x10-5 m length of the smallest transistor in the first 6502 chips 20 µm 2x10-5 m length of the smallest transistor in an Intel 4004 (the first microprocessor) 20 µm 2.0x10-5 m diameter of a small grain of sand 25 µm 2.5x10-5 m length of sperm cell 25 µm 2.5x10-5 m diameter of a human hair µm 8.382x10-5 m typical thickness of a piece of paper 100 µm 1x10-4 m mimimum size of object the human eye can resolve unaided 100 µm 1x10-4 m diameter of human fertilized egg cell 100 µm 1x10-4 m size of a grain of salt 110 µm 1.1x10-4 m thickness of a dollar bill 300 µm 3x10-4 m diameter of a period on a typewriter

4 375 µm 3.7x10-4 m diameter of the most common type of optical fiber 750 µm 7.5x10-4 m size of largest known bacterium 1,000 µm 1x10-3 m one millimeter 1.7 mm 1.7x10-3 m diameter of the head of the average pin 2 mm 2x10-3 m diameter of a large grain of sand 2 mm 2x10-3 m diameter of a large grain of sand 2 mm 2x10-3 m size of a small ant mm 4.234x10-3 m height of a line of text in 12-point type 10 mm 1x10-2 m one centimeter 1.7 cm 1.7x10-2 m wavelength of 20khz note (highest that can be heard) at 27 degrees celsius 2.5 cm 2.5x10-2 m size of a large ant 2.54 cm 2.540x10-2 m one inch 8.5 cm 8.5x10-2 m length of largest human chromosome if it were stretched end-to-end 12.2 cm 1.22x10-1 m wavelength of microwaves in a microwave oven 30 cm 3.0x10-1 m one foot 79 cm 7.9x10-1 m wavelength of 440 hertz note (A above middle C) at 27 degrees celsius 91 cm 9.1x10-1 m one yard 1 m 1 m one meter

5 1 m 1 m one meter 3 m 3 m average wavelength of FM radio waves 17 m 1.7x10 1 m wavelength of 20 hertz note (lowest that can be heard) at 27 degrees celsius m x10 2 m distance light travels in one microsecond, in a vacuum 343 m 3.43x10 2 m distance sound travels in one second (at 20 degress celsius) 415 m 4.1x10 2 m distance a bullet travels per second, when fired from a m 4.1x10 2 m distance a bullet travels per second, when fired from a.22 1,000 m 1x10 3 m one kilometer km x10 3 m one mile 4.3 km 4.3x10 3 m thickness of Greenland ice cap, at thickest point 4.47 km 4.47x10 3 m greatest measured thickness of antarctic ice cap 8.85 km 8.85x10 3 m height of Mount Everest km x10 4 m depth of Marianas Trench 11 km 1.1x10 4 m average height of top of troposphere (layer of atmosphere affected by weather) km 2.978x10 4 m distance the earth travels per second in its orbit 48 km 4.8x10 4 m average height of top of stratosphere (layer of atmosphere containing ozone; free of weather, good for flying) 50 km 5x10 4 m depth of earth's crust 60 km 6x10 4 m thickness of ozone layer 80 km 8x10 4 m height of ionosphere (ionized region which reflects radio waves) 80 km 8x10 4 m average height of top of mesosphere (strong currents, unstable, bad for flying) 160 km 1x10 5 m 100 miles km x10 5 m distance light travels in one millisecond, in a vacuum

6 km x10 5 m distance light travels in one millisecond, in a vacuum 300 km 3x10 5 m height of space shuttle's typical orbit 354 km 3.54x10 5 m average altitude of International Space Station 640 km 6.4x10 5 m height of lowest point of inner Van Allen belt 792 km 7.92x10 5 m altitude of Iridium satellites (LEO) 825 km 8.25x10 5 m altitude of Orbcomm satellites (LEO) 914 km 9.14x10 5 m diameter of the asteroid Ceres 1,000 km 1x10 6 m thickness of earth's atmosphere 1,375 km 1.375x10 6 m height of Teledesic (low-earth orbit) satellites 1,414 km 1.414x10 6 m altitude of Globalstar satellites (LEO) 2,274 km 2.274x10 6 m diameter of Pluto at its equator 2,890 km 2.89x10 6 m depth of earth's outer (liquid) core 3,474.8 km x10 6 m diameter of moon 3,962 km 3.962x10 6 m distance from New York to Los Angeles 4,879.4 km x10 6 m diameter of Mercury at its equator 5,150 km 5.150x10 6 m diameter of Titan

7 5,150 km 5.150x10 6 m diameter of Titan 5,150 km 5.15x10 6 m depth of earth's inner (solid) core 5,200 km 5.2x10 6 m height of highest point of outer Van Allen belt 5,262 km 5.262x10 6 m diameter of Ganymede 5,613 km 5.613x10 6 m distance from New York to London 6, km x10 6 m distance to center of Earth 6,794.4 km x10 6 m diameter of Mars at its equator 9,084 km 9.084x10 6 m distance from London to Los Angeles 9,380 km 9.38x10 6 m mean distance from Phobos to Mars 10,390 km 1.039x10 7 m altitude of ICO satellites (MEO) 12,103 km x10 7 m diameter of Venus at its equator 12,756.2 km x10 7 m diameter of Earth at its equator 20,200 km 2.02x10 7 m altitude of GPS satellites 23,460 km 2.346x10 7 m mean distance from Deimos to Mars 35,800 km 3.58x10 7 m height of satellite in geostationary orbit 47,810 km 4.781x10 7 m min initial altitude of Geotail satellite (VHO)

8 47,810 km 4.781x10 7 m min initial altitude of Geotail satellite (VHO) 49,492 km x10 7 m diameter of Neptune at its equator 51,118 km x10 7 m diameter of Uranus at its equator 120,536 km x10 8 m diameter of Saturn at its equator 142,984 km x10 8 m diameter of Jupiter at its equator 299,792.5 km x10 8 m distance light travels in one second, in a vacuum 384,400 km 3.844x10 8 m mean distance from earth to moon 868,912 km x10 8 m max initial altitude of Geotail satellite (VHO) 1,070,000 km 1.07x10 9 m mean distance from Jupiter to Ganymede 1,221,850 km x10 9 m mean distance from Saturn to Titan 1,390,000 km 1.39x10 9 m diameter of sun at its equator 1,500,000 km 1.5x10 9 m distance to SOHO satellite (L1 Lagrange point) 1,500,000 km 1.5x10 9 m distance to SOHO satellite (L1 Lagrange point) 17,987,550 km x10 10 m distance light travels in one minute, in a vacuum 57,910,000 km 5.791x10 10 m mean distance of Mercury from the sun

9 108,200,000 km 1.082x10 11 m mean distance of Venus from the sun 1 AU x10 11 m mean distance of Earth from the sun (one astronomical unit) AU x10 11 m mean distance of Mars from the sun AU 4.139x10 11 m mean distance of the asteroid Ceres from the sun AU x10 11 m mean distance of Jupiter from the sun AU x10 12 m distance light travels in one hour, in a vacuum AU x10 12 m distance light travels in one hour, in a vacuum AU x10 12 m mean distance of Saturn from the sun AU x10 12 m mean distance of Uranus from the sun AU x10 12 m mean distance of Neptune from the sun 34 AU 5.2x10 12 m maximum distance of Halley's Comet from the sun AU x10 12 m mean distance of Pluto from the sun 43.8 AU 6.56x10 12 m distance of QB1 object from Sun AU 9.323x10 12 m current distance of Voyager 2 from sun (as of 10/27/00) AU x10 13 m current distance of Voyager 1 from sun (as of 10/27/00) 80 AU 1x10 13 m termination shock--point at which solar wind becomes subsonic 134 AU 2.0x10 13 m heliopause (outer edge of Sun's magnetic field) 134 AU 2.01x10 13 m distance of 1996 TL66 object from Sun AU x10 13 m distance light travels in one day, in a vacuum 372 AU 5.56x10 13 m maximum distance of comet Hale-Bopp from the sun 1, AU x10 14 m distance light travels in one week, in a vacuum

10 1, AU x10 14 m distance light travels in one week, in a vacuum 25,000 AU 3.7x10 15 m possible distance of Sol B from Sun 63, AU x10 15 m distance light travels in one year (one light-year) 1.5 ly 1.4x10 16 m possible edge of Oort cloud 3.26 ly 3.08x10 16 m one parsec 4.22 ly 3.99x10 16 m distance to the star Proxima Centauri (nearest star other than sun) 4.3 ly 4.1x10 16 m distance to the stars Alpha Centauri A and B 8.6 ly 8.1x10 16 m distance to the star Sirius 8.6 ly 8.1x10 16 m distance to the star Sirius 25.2 ly 2.39x10 17 m distance to the star Vega 33 ly 3.2x10 17 m distance to the star Pollux 36 ly 3.5x10 17 m distance to the star Arcturus 51 ly 4.9x10 17 m distance to the star Castor 77 ly 7.3x10 17 m distance to the star Regulus 300 ly 2x10 18 m thickness of Milky Way Galaxy 430 ly 4.0x10 18 m distance to the star Polaris 1.6 kly 1.5x10 19 m distance to Horsehead Nebula

11 1.6 kly 1.5x10 19 m distance to Horsehead Nebula 20 kly 1x10 20 m diameter of Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy 27 kly 2.6x10 20 m distance to center of Milky Way Galaxy 44 kly 4.2x10 20 m diameter of M33 galaxy 162 kly 1.54x10 21 m diameter of Milky Way Galaxy 200 kly 1x10 21 m distance to Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy 200 kly 1x10 21 m diameter of M31 galaxy 300 kly 2x10 21 m distance to Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy 300 kly 2x10 21 m distance to Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy 2,200 kly 2.0x10 22 m distance to Andromeda galaxy 3,000 kly 2x10 22 m distance to Pisces galaxy 4,000 kly 3x10 22 m distance to IC 10 galaxy 5,000 kly 4x10 22 m distance to Pegasus galaxy 11,000 kly 1.0x10 23 m distance to the M81 galaxy cluster 15,000 kly 1.4x10 23 m distance to the M83 galaxy 27,000 kly 2.5x10 23 m distance to the M101 galaxy 35,000 kly 3.3x10 23 m distance to the M66 galaxy cluster 37,000 kly 3.5x10 23 m distance to the M51 galaxy cluster 38,000 kly 3.5x10 23 m distance to the M95 galaxy 41,000 kly 3.8x10 23 m distance to the M96 galaxy 60,000 kly 5x10 23 m distance to the Virgo galaxy cluster

12 60,000 kly 5x10 23 m distance to the Virgo galaxy cluster 340,000 kly 3.2x10 24 m distance to the Coma galaxy cluster 2,000,000 kly 1x10 25 m distance to brightest quasar (3C 273) 4,000,000 kly 3x10 25 m distance to quasar 3C 48 26,000,000 kly 2.4x10 26 m distance to farthest known object (quasar SDSS_1044_0125) www@falstad.com