Water molecule
A water molecule is a group of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom.
280 pmCharacteristic sizeBeyond the eye
Water molecule vs Glucose molecule
What are they, and what does the difference actually look like?
Two things. One honest scale.
Meet the pair
What these two things are
Glucose molecule
A glucose molecule is a simple sugar used by living cells as a source of chemical energy.
1 nmCharacteristic sizeGlucose molecule has about 3.57 times the characteristic size of Water molecule.
01
Water molecule280 pmCharacteristic size
02
Glucose molecule1 nmCharacteristic size
Both marked spans share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its proportions; poses and surface detail are illustrative.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Water molecule
A chosen 0.28 nm molecular-scale model. Effective molecular size depends on the definition.
University of Utah — Cell size and scale
The marked characteristic size is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Glucose molecule
A one-nanometre scale model of a glucose molecule; orientation affects its span.
University of Utah — Cell size and scale
The marked characteristic size is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Change the comparison
Put something else beside it.
Measurement details
Why these numbers?
The visual compares characteristic size with characteristic size. The records below preserve each value’s basis and caveats.
Water molecule
280 pmCharacteristic size · representative
A chosen 0.28 nm molecular-scale model. Effective molecular size depends on the definition.
Glucose molecule
1 nmCharacteristic size · representative
A one-nanometre scale model of a glucose molecule; orientation affects its span.
- Comparing
- Characteristic size ↔ Characteristic size
- Relative size
- Glucose molecule is larger on this measurement by a factor of about 3.57. Glucose molecule's selected measurement is approximately 257% greater than Water molecule's.
How to read the visual
The labelled spans and stored measurements determine the scale; unmeasured illustration details do not.
- Water molecule is labelled representative; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.
- Glucose molecule is labelled representative; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
MicroscopicWater molecule280 pmA water molecule is a group of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom.MicroscopicGlucose molecule1 nmA glucose molecule is a simple sugar used by living cells as a source of chemical energy.
Fundamental physicsProton1.682 fmA proton is a positively charged particle found in the nucleus of atoms, made up of quarks.
Microscopic10 µm cell10 µmA cell is the basic structural unit of living organisms.
People70 µm hair70 µmA hair is a slender strand of protein that grows from the skin of humans and other mammals.Side by side
Another point of view.
