ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE (LENGTH)

To help compare different orders of magnitude, the following list describes various lengths between 1.6 m and 1.3 m.

'List of orders of magnitude for length'

Factor (m)	Multiple	Value	Item
10−35		1.6 m	Planck length; size of a string; lengths smaller than this do not make any physical sense, according to current theories of physics
. . .
10−24	1 yoctometre (ym)
10−21	1 zeptometre (zm)
10−18	1 attometre (am)		upper limit for the size of quarks and electrons
			sensitivity of the LIGO detector for gravitational waves
10−15	1 femtometre (fm)		size of a proton
			classical electron radius
10−14	10 fm		scale of the atomic nucleus
			range of the weak force
10−13	100 fm
10−12	1 picometre (pm)		distance between atomic nuclei in a white dwarf
			wavelength of gamma rays
		2.4 pm	Compton wavelength of electron
		5 pm	wavelength of shortest X-rays
10−11	10 pm	25 pm	radius of hydrogen atom
		31 pm	radius of helium atom
		53 pm	Bohr radius
10−10	100 pm		wavelength of X-rays
		100 pm	1 Ångström
		100 pm (0.1 nm)	covalent radius of sulfur atom
		126 pm (0.126 nm)	covalent radius of ruthenium atom
		135 pm (0.135 nm)	covalent radius of technetium atom
		153 pm (0.153 nm)	covalent radius of silver atom
		154 pm (0.154 nm)	length of a typical covalent bond (C–C).
		155 pm (0.155 nm)	covalent radius of zirconium atom
		175 pm (0.175 nm)	covalent radius of thulium atom
		225 pm (0.225 nm)	covalent radius of caesium atom
		500 pm (0.50 nm)	width of protein α helix
10−9	1 nanometre (nm)	1 nm	diameter of Carbon nanotube
		2 nm	diameter of DNA helix
		3 nm	distance between a hard drive read head and the disk surface
		3.4 nm	length of a DNA turn (10 bp)
		3 × 8 nm	size of an albumin protein molecule
		6 - 10 nm	thickness of cell membrane
10−8	10 nm	10 nm	typical diameter of nanowire
		10 nm	thickness of cell wall in gram-negative bacteria
		20 nm	thickness of bacterial flagellum
		20 - 80 nm	thickness of cell wall in gram-positive bacteria
		40 nm	extreme ultraviolet wavelength
		65 nm	Smallest feature size of production microprocessors (as of 2006)
		90 nm	human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (generally, viruses range in size from 20 nm to 450 nm)
10−7	100 nm		size of chromosomes
		100 nm	90% of particles in wood smoke are smaller than this
		120 nm	typical penetrating particle size for a ULPA (Ultra Low Penetration Air) filter (removes up to 99.999% at 0.12 micrometres) and a SULPA (Super ULPA) filter (removes up to 99.9999% at 0.12 micrometres)
		280 nm	near ultraviolet wavelength
		300 nm	most-penetrating particle size for a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter (N100 removes up to 99.97% at 0.3 micrometres, N95 removes up to 95% at 0.3 micrometres)
		380–430 nm	wavelength of violet light—see color and optical spectrum
		430–450 nm	wavelength of indigo light
		450–500 nm	wavelength of blue light
		500–520 nm	wavelength of cyan light
		520–565 nm	wavelength of green light
		565–590 nm	wavelength of yellow light
		590–625 nm	wavelength of orange light
		625–740 nm	wavelength of red light
10−6	1 micrometre (µm)	1 µm	also called 1 micron
		1–3 µm	particle size that a surgical mask removes at 80-95% efficiency
		1–10 µm	diameter of typical bacterium
		1.55 µm	wavelength of light used in optical fibre
		3–5 µm	size of a human spermatozoon's head (radius by length)
		4–5 µm	Average width of strand of Spider web major ampullate (dragline) thread from Nephila species [1]
		6–8 µm	diameter of a human red blood cell
		6 µm	anthrax spore
		7 µm	diameter of the nucleus of typical eukariotic cell
10−5	10 µm	10 µm	typical size of a fog, mist or cloud water droplet
		10 µm	width of cotton fibre
		10.6 µm	wavelength of light emitted by a Carbon dioxide laser
		12 µm	width of Acrylic fibre
		13 µm	width of nylon fibre
		14 µm	width of polyester fibre
		15 µm	width of silk fibre (double stranded)
		17 µm	dust mite excreta ¹
		20 µm	width of wool fibre
		25.4 µm	1/1000 inch, commonly referred to as 1 mil
		50 µm	typical length of ''Euglena gracilis'', a flagellate protist
		80 µm	average width of human hair (ranges from 18 to 180 µm)
10−4	100 µm	125 µm	dust mite
		200 µm	typical length of ''Paramecium caudatum'', a ciliate protist
		300 µm	diameter of ''Thiomargarita namibiensis'', the largest bacterium ever discovered
		500 µm	MEMS micro-engine
		500 µm	diameter of a human ovum
		500 µm	typical length of ''Amoeba proteus'', an amoeboid protist
10−3	1 millimetre (mm)	2.54 mm	distance between pins in old DIP (dual-inline-package) electronic components
		5 mm	length of average red ant
		7.62 mm	common military ammunition size
10−2	1 centimetre (cm)	1.5 cm	length of a large mosquito
		2.54 cm	1 inch
		3.1 cm	1 attoparsec (10−18 parsecs)
		4.267 cm	diameter of a Golf ball
10−1	1 decimetre (dm)	10 cm	wavelength of the highest UHF radio frequency, 3 GHz
		10 cm	diameter of the cervix upon entering the second stage of labour
		10.16 cm	1 hand used in measuring height of horses (4 inches)
		12 cm	wavelength of the 2.45 GHz ISM radio band
		15 cm	height of a Lilliputian from ''Gulliver's Travels''
		15 cm	approximate size of largest beetle species
		22 cm	diameter of a typical soccer ball
		29.98 cm	distance light travels in one nanosecond
		30.48 cm	1 foot
		31 cm	wingspan of largest butterfly species ''Ornithoptera alexandrae''
		50-65 cm	a pizote's tail
		66 cm	length of the longest pine cones (produced by the sugar pine)
		90 cm	average length of a rapier, a fencing sword
		91 cm	1 yard
100	1 metre	1 m	wavelength of the lowest UHF and highest VHF radio frequency, 300 MHz
		1 m	approximate height of the top part of a doorknob on a door
		1.435 m	Standard gauge of railway track
		1.7 m (5 feet 7 inches)	average height of a human being
		2.44 m	height of a football goal.
		2.45 m	highest jump by a human being (Javier Sotomayor)
		2.72 m	tallest known human being (Robert Wadlow)
		2.77 - 3.44 m	wavelength of the broadcast radio FM band 87–108 MHz
		3.048 m (10 feet)	height of the basket in basketball
		5.5 m	height of tallest animal, the giraffe
		8.95 m	longest jump by a human being (Mike Powell)
101	1 decametre (dam)	10 m	wavelength of the lowest VHF and highest shortwave radio frequency, 30 MHz
		18.44 m (60 feet 6 inches)	distance between the pitcher's rubber and home plate on a baseball field
		20.12 m (22 yards)	length of a cricket pitch
		21 m	height of High Force waterfall in England.
		23 m	height of the obelisk of the Place de la Concorde, Paris.
		25 m	wavelength of the broadcast radio shortwave band at 12 MHz
		27.43 m (90 feet)	distance between bases on a baseball field
		30 m	length of a blue whale, the largest animal
		31 m	wavelength of the broadcast radio shortwave band at 9.7 MHz
		40 m	average depth beneath the seabed of the Channel tunnel
		49 m	width of an American football field (53 1/3 yards)
		49 m	wavelength of the broadcast radio shortwave band at 6.1 MHz
		52 m	height of Niagara Falls
		55 m	height of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
		62 m	Height of Pyramid of Djoser
		70 m	width of a typical football field
		70 m	length of the Bayeux Tapestry
		88.40 m	wingspan of the Antonov An-225 transport aircraft
		91.44 m	length of an American football field (100 yards, measured between the goal lines)
		93.47 m	height of the Statue of Liberty (foundation of pedestal to torch)
102	1 hectometre (hm)	100 m	wavelength of the lowest shortwave radio frequency and highest medium wave radio frequency, 3 MHz
		105 m	length of a typical football field
		109.73 m	total length of an American football field (120 yards, including the end zones)
		115.55 m	height of the world's tallest tree, a Coast redwood
		137 m (147 m)	height (present/original) of the Great Pyramid of Giza
		187 m	shortest wavelength of the broadcast radio AM band, 1600 kHz
		299.792 m	approximate distance travelled by light in one microsecond
		300.65 m	height of the Eiffel Tower (roof)
		340 m	distance sound travels in air in one second; see speed of sound
		400–500 m	approximate heights of the world's tallest skyscrapers of the past 70 years.
		458 m	length of the Knock Nevis, the world's largest supertanker
		541 m (1776 ft)	height of the planned Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site
		553.33 m	height of the CN Tower, the world's tallest free-standing land structure
		555 m	longest wavelength of the broadcast radio AM band, 540 kHz
		647 m	height of the Warsaw radio mast, formerly the tallest man-made structure, collapsed in 1991
		979 m	height of the Salto Angel, the world's highest free-falling waterfall (Venezuela)
103	1 kilometre (km)	1 km	wavelength of the lowest medium wave radio frequency, 300 kHz
		1609 m	1 international mile
		1852 m	1 nautical mile
		1991 m	Span of the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, largest in the world as of June 2006
		2309 m	Axial length of the Three Gorges Dam, the largest dam in the world
		8848 m	height of the highest mountain on earth, Mount Everest
104	10 km	10.911 km	depth of deepest part of the ocean, Mariana Trench
		13 km	narrowest width of the Strait of Gibraltar, separating Europe and Africa
		25 km	height of the highest known mountain of the solar system, Olympus Mons on Mars
		31.1 km	highest parachute jump (Joseph Kittinger)
		33 km	narrowest width of the English Channel at the Strait of Dover
		34.668 km	highest manned balloon flight (Malcolm D. Ross and Victor E. Prather)
		38.422 km	length of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, as of June 2006, the longest bridge in the world
		42.195 km	length of the Marathon, the longest mainstream long-distance road running event
		53.9 km	length of the Seikan Tunnel, as of February 2006, the longest in the world
		77.1 km	total length of the Panama Canal
		90 km	width of the Bering Strait
105	100 km	111 km	one degree of latitude on Earth
		163 km	length of the Suez Canal
		300 km	the approximate distance travelled by light in one millisecond
		560 km	distance of Bordeaux-Paris, formerly the longest one-day professional cycling race
		804.67 km (500 miles)	distance of the Indy 500 automobile race
		975 km	greatest diameter of the largest solar system asteroid[1], 1 Ceres
106	1,000 km = 1 megametre (Mm)	2,390 km	diameter of Pluto, formerly the smallest "planet"[2] of our solar system
		3,480 km	diameter of the Moon
		5,200 km	typical distance covered by the winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans automobile endurance race
		6,400 km	length of the Great Wall of China
		6,600 km	approximate length of the two longest rivers, the Nile and the Amazon
		7,821 km	length of the Trans-Canada Highway
107	10,000 km	12,756 km	equatorial diameter of the Earth
		40,075 km	length of the Earth's equator
108	100,000 km	142,984 km	diameter of Jupiter
		299,792.458 km	distance travelled by light in one second
		384,000 km = 384 Mm	Moon's orbital distance from Earth
109	1 million km = 1 gigametre (Gm)	1,390,000 km = 1.39 Gm	diameter of the Sun
		3,600,000 km = 3.6 Gm	greatest mileage ever recorded by a car (A 1966 Volvo P-1800S, still driving)
1010	10 million km	18 million km	approximately one light-minute
1011	100 million km	150 million km = 150 Gm	1 astronomical unit (AU); mean distance between Earth and Sun.
		~ 900 Gm	optical diameter of Betelgeuse (~600 x Sun)
1012	1000 million km = 1 terametre (Tm)	1.4  km	orbital distance of Saturn from Sun
		~ 3  km	estimated optical diameter of VY Canis Majoris, as of 2007 the largest known star (~2000 x Sun)
		5.9  km = 5.9 Tm	orbital distance of Pluto from Sun
		~ 7.5  km = 7.5 Tm	outer boundary of the Kuiper belt, inner boundary of the Oort cloud (~ 50 AU)
1013	10 Tm	15.44 km = 15.44 Tm	distance of the Voyager 1 spacecraft from sun (as of July 2007), the farthest man-made object so far
1014	100 Tm
1015	1 petametre (Pm)	~ 7.5  km = 7.5 Pm	supposed outer boundary of the Oort cloud (~ 50,000 AU)
		9.46 km = 9.46 Pm = 1 light year	distance travelled by light in one year; at its current speed, Voyager 1 would need 17,500 years to travel this distance
1016	10 Pm	3.2616 light-years (3.08568 m = 30.8568 Pm)	1 parsec
		4.22 light-years = 39.9 Pm	distance to nearest star (Proxima Centauri)
1017	100 Pm	6.15 m = 615 Pm = 65 light-years	approximate radius of humanity's radio bubble, caused by high-power TV broadcasts leaking through the atmosphere into outer space
1018	1 exametre (Em)
1019	10 Em
1020	100 Em	10,000 light-years
1021	1 zettametre (Zm)	100,000 light-years	diameter of galactic disk of Milky Way Galaxy
		50 kiloparsecs	distance to SN 1987A, the most recent naked eye supernova
		52 kiloparsecs = 1.6 m = 1.6 Zm	distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud (a dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way)
		54 kiloparsecs = 1.66 Zm	distance to the Small Magellanic Cloud (another dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way)
1022	10 Zm	22.3 Zm = 2.36 million light-years = 725 kiloparsecs	distance to Andromeda Galaxy
		50 Zm (1.6 Mpc)	diameter of Local Group of galaxies
1023	100 Zm	300–600 Zm = 10–20 megaparsecs	distance to Virgo cluster of galaxies
1024	1 yottametre (Ym)	200 million light-years = 2 Ym = 60 megaparsecs	diameter of the Local Supercluster
		500 million light-years = 5 Ym = 150 megaparsecs
1025	10 Ym
1026	100 Ym	1 light-years = 1026 m = 100 Ym	estimated distance to certain quasars
		13.7 light years = 1.37 m = 137 Ym	approx. size of the visible universe / distance the cosmic background radiation has travelled since the Big Bang
1053	1 Ym	1 light years	approx. size of the entire (non-visible) universe / according to cosmic inflation theory.

Contents

See also

Footnotes

External links

See also

★ Powers of Ten, a 1977 short documentary film which depicts the relative scale of the Universe in factors of ten.

Footnotes

1. The exact category (asteroid/dwarf planet/planet) to which particular solar system objects belong, has been subject to some revision since the discovery of extrasolar planets and trans-Neptunian objects
2. category

External links

★ Secret Worlds: The Universe Within, a Java animation which presents the notion of scale from the galaxy (10 millions light years, 10²³ m) to the quark (100 attometres, 10⁻¹⁶ m); Molecular Expressions™, State University of Florida

★ Powers of Ten Travel across the Universe. Altering perspective by changing scale by just a few powers of ten (interactive)