Which of the following statements correctly orders the size of cells / structures from LARGEST to SMALLEST?
AAtom > Molecule > Organelle > Cell
BAtom > Cell > Organelle > Molecule
COrganelle > Cell > Molecule > Atom
DCell > Organelle > Molecule > Atom
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Cell > Organelle > Molecule > Atom
Typical scales: Cell ~10 μm (10⁻⁵ m); Organelle (e.g. nucleus) ~5 μm to mitochondrion ~1 μm; Molecule (protein) ~10 nm (10⁻⁸ m); Atom ~0.1 nm (10⁻¹⁰ m). So from largest to smallest: Cell > Organelle > Molecule > Atom. This 'nested' scale is why one needs increasingly powerful microscopes to see ever-smaller structures.
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