RAS question
Nanotechnology deals with structures at the scale of:
Correct answer: (B) 1-100 nanometres.
Nanotechnology deals with structures at the scale of approximately 1-100 nanometres.
Explanation
Nanotechnology is defined by scale: it deals with the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1-100 nanometres, with 1 nm equal to 10^-9 m. That is why option B is the only correct scale. The key point is not just small size; at the nanoscale, materials can show unusual physical, chemical, and biological properties compared with bulk materials, single atoms, and molecules. This is linked to quantum effects and a high surface-area-to-volume ratio. These scale-dependent properties are why nanotechnology is relevant to applications such as drug delivery, water purification, electronics, and materials science.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 1-100 micrometres is too large for nanotechnology and matches the cell-scale hint in the question data, not the nanoscale.
- (C) 1-100 millimetres is a macroscopic scale, so it cannot describe structures governed by nanoscale properties.
- (D) 1-100 picometres is below the nanometre range and is identified in the question data as a subatomic scale.
Concept
This tests basic Science and Technology scale literacy: identifying the nanoscale before reasoning about nanotechnology applications. It recurs in RAS because the same concept links units, material properties, and applied technology.