A mammalian HELA cell has a diameter of 2 * 10-5 m. Report the diameter of the cell using the most appropriate prefix on the base unit of meter. (LO 1.5) (b) 20 µm

Key Concepts

Metric Prefixes

Metric prefixes are used to denote specific powers of ten, making it easier to express large or small quantities. For example, 'micro-' (µ) represents 10^-6, allowing us to express measurements in a more manageable form. In the context of the question, converting the diameter of the HELA cell from meters to micrometers simplifies the representation of its size.

Unit Conversion

Unit conversion is the process of converting a quantity expressed in one unit to another unit. This involves multiplying by a conversion factor that relates the two units. In this case, converting the diameter of the HELA cell from meters to micrometers requires understanding the relationship between these units, specifically that 1 meter equals 1,000,000 micrometers.

Cell Size in Biology

Understanding cell size is crucial in biology, as it relates to cell function and structure. Mammalian cells, like HELA cells, typically range from 10 to 30 micrometers in diameter. Recognizing the scale of cellular dimensions helps in visualizing and comparing the sizes of different biological entities, which is essential for various applications in cell biology and microscopy.