Question

A small metabolite, on average, diffuses about 1 nanometer (10⁻⁹ m) in a nanosecond (10⁻⁹ s). How far from its starting point will this metabolite reach on average in 10 seconds?

a. 1 mm
b. 10 mm
c. 100 mm
d. 1000 mm

Answer 1

A small metabolite that diffuses 1 nanometer in a nanosecond will travel 10 meters in 10 seconds. This calculation is grounded in the physics and chemistry of molecular transport phenomena, specifically diffusion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the concept of diffusion within the field of Physics, particularly with an application in Chemistry or Biology when considering the passage of molecules across a membrane. The calculation involves determining how far a small metabolite will travel by diffusion in a set amount of time. Given that the metabolite diffuses approximately 1 nanometer in a nanosecond, in 10 seconds it would cover a distance found by multiplying the distance traveled per nanosecond by the number of nanoseconds in 10 seconds:

Distance in 10 seconds = 1 nanometer/nanosecond x 10 seconds x 109 nanoseconds/second = 1010 nanometers or 104 millimeters or 10 meters.

Thus, the metabolite would travel a total distance of 10 meters from its starting point in 10 seconds. This basic calculation helps understand the movement of molecules in various environments, touching on aspects of molecular transport phenomena including diffusion and osmosis.