Question

The smallest known bacteria are from the genus Mycoplasma and can measure as small as 300 nanometers in diameter. Given that 1 meter = 1 x 109 nanometers, what is the diameter of the smallest bacteria, in meters? Give your answer in scientific notation and show your work.

Answer 1

length of 1 bacteria = 300 = 3 *10^2 nanometers


= 3 * 10^2 / 1 * 10^9 m

= 3 * 10^(2-9)

= 3 * 10^-7 m