Vastoscope

≈106 pm → ≈2 nm wide

Molecular scale
Atoms become chemistry, structure and information.

The molecular realm bridges atomic physics and biology. Bond lengths, molecular shapes and the width of DNA live here, where a few nanometres can separate a simple molecule from a biological machine.

Enter this realm in the scale engine
Visual evidence plate for Hydrogen atom
4 landmarks1.3 orders of magnitude

Questions this realm answers

Start with curiosity.

  1. How wide is DNA?
  2. How much larger is glucose than water?
  3. What does an atomic diameter actually measure?

4 source-backed coordinates

Every landmark in molecular scale.

Ordered by the actual logarithm of its SI value.

Visual evidence plate for Hydrogen atom
10-10.0 m · Atomic physics

Hydrogen atom

≈106 pm

The simplest atom: one proton surrounded by a quantum probability cloud for one electron.

Visual evidence plate for Water molecule
10-9.6 m · Molecular biology

Water molecule

≈0.275 nm

Two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom form the bent molecule that shapes life on Earth.

Visual evidence plate for Glucose molecule
10-9.0 m · Molecular biology

Glucose molecule

≈1 nm

A compact sugar molecule used by cells as a readily available source of chemical energy.

Guided routes

Meet this realm inside a story.

Life · 6 minYou are a universe

Move inward from a human body to cells, molecular machinery, atoms and the physical limit where ordinary ideas of size stop behaving normally.

Begin expedition →