Question

Distances are customarily expressed in angstroms or in nanometers. The distance between the centers of carbon atoms in a C-C bond is about ___________, and the diameter of a DNA molecule is about ________.

a) 1 angstrom, 2 nanometers
b) 1 nanometer, 2 angstroms
c) 1 angstrom, 20 nanometers
d) 1 nanometer, 20 angstroms

Answer 1

The distance between carbon atoms in a carbon-carbon bond is approximately 1 angstrom, while the diameter of a DNA molecule is about 2 nanometers. The option (A) is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

The distance between the centers of carbon atoms in a C-C bond is about 1 angstrom, and the diameter of a DNA molecule is about 2 nanometers. Carbon-carbon single bonds are approximately 154 picometers, which is equivalent to 1.54 angstroms, and we commonly simplify this to about 1.5 angstroms for typical carbon-carbon single bonds.

Given that 1 angstrom equals 10-10 meters and the fact that DNA molecules have a separation distance between the two strands of about 1 nanometer (1 nm = 10-9 meters), we provide a clear understanding of the sizes of these molecular structures in commonly used scientific units. Thus, the correct answer to the student's question is a) 1 angstrom, 2 nanometers.