497
diameter of nucleosome 10nm
E. coliflagellum radius 10nm
synaptic cleft in chemical synapse 20–40nm(myoneural junction, 50–100nm)
poliovirus diameter 25nm(smallest virus, 20nm)
microtubule diameter 25nm
ribosome diameter 30nm(25nmforE. coli)
casein micelle diameter 100nm
thinnest wire in Pentium processor chip, about 100nm
eukaryotic flagellum diameter 100–500nm
width of transistor in consumer electronics≈ 180 nm
optical microscope resolution 200nm
vertebrate axon diameter 0.2–20μm
wavelength of visible light, 400–650nm
size of bacterium 1μm(smallest, 0.5μm)
myofibril diameter 1–2μm
capillary diameter, as small as 3μm
length ofE. coliflagellum 10μm(20 000 subunits)
diameter of human cell, about 10μm(red blood cell, 7.5μm)
muscle fiber diameter 20–80μm(1000–2000 myofibrils)
T4 phage DNA length 54μm(160kbp); T4 capsid, about 100nmlong
human hair diameter 100μm
naked eye resolution 200μm
squid “giant” axon diameter 1mm
E. coligenome length 1.4mm
length of human genome≈ 1 m
radius of Earth, 6. 4 · 106 mEnergies
Most of the values below are expressed as multiples of the thermal energy at room temperature.
Complete oxidation of one glucose releases 1159kBTr.
Triple covalent bond (e.g. C≡N) = 9eV=325kBTr;double bond (e.g. C=C), 240kBTr;
single bond 140kBTrfor C–C.
Visible photon (green) = 120kBTr.
Break streptavidin/biotin bond: 40kBTr.
ATPhydrolysis under normal cell conditions has ∆G=−11 to− 13 kcalmole−^1 ≈
− 20 kBTr/molecule. Standard free energy change ∆G′^0 =− 12. 4 kBTr;but cells are
far from standard conditions. ATP production in humans:≈ 40 kgof ATP each day.
Generic van der Waals (dispersion) attraction energy between atoms, 0.6–1.6kBTr.
Human resting heat output 100W.
Energy content of glucose 1. 7 · 107 J/kg;ofbeer 0. 18 · 107 J/kg;ofgasoline 4. 8 · 107 J/kg.
Peak mechanical power of human athlete 200W;ofbumblebee 0.02W.
Solar energy ouput, 3. 9 · 1026 W;power density striking Earth, 1. 4 · 103 W/m^2.