Environmental Engineering Reference
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a
b
Figure 1.1
(a) The known dimensional scale of the universe. On the small end, fundamental
particles such as electrons and quarks are smaller than 10
−
18
m, and may approach 10
−
30
m
in size or smaller, but such dimensions are not physically measurable at least at this time.
Other stops depicted along this dimensional journey include: the scale of the solid earth
sciences, from atoms to Earth (10
−
10
-10
7
m); the Sun (10
9
m in diameter) as seen from the
Extreme UV Imaging Telescope on the SOHO satellite; expanding gas rings (10
16
m in dia-
meter) from supernova SN1987a as observed by the Hubble Space Telescope; infrared image
of the inner portion of our own galaxy (the Milky Way is nearly 10
21
m in diameter); and
distant galaxies (the most distant are 10
26
m away). (b) The dimensional scale of the earth
sciences. Stops depicted along this dimensional journey include: scanning tunneling micro-
scope image of lead and sulfur atoms on a galena surface (atomic size 10
−
10
m); crystallization
nucleus of calcite (10
−
9
-10
−
8
m); bacterial cells (10
−
6
m in length); a single crystal of quartz
(10
−
2
m); a typical open pit mine (the Carlin Mine in Nevada, USA, 10
2
-10
3
m); Mount Fuji,
Japan, a composite volcano (10
4
m); the Red Sea from space (10
5
m wide and 10
6
m long);
Earth (10
7
m); the Earth-Moon system as seen from Apollo 11 (4
10
8
m). (Reprinted from
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
,
66
, M. F. Hochella, There's plenty of room at the
bottom: nanoscience in geochemistry, 735-43. Copyright 2002, with permission from
Elsevier.)
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