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Microscopic objects

Platelet

A platelet is a small blood-cell fragment that helps form clots and stop bleeding after a blood vessel is damaged.

Also known as: blood platelet, thrombocyte

How big is it?

3 µm · representative diameter

Representative diameter · representative
Typical recorded range: 2 µm to 4 µm.

Scale illustration of a platelet, showing the recorded representative diameter.
Recorded representative diameter: 3 µm.

A little perspective

Platelet vs Yeast cell: length comparison

The characteristic size of a yeast cell is about 1.67 times the diameter of a platelet.

Scale
Platelet

A platelet is a small blood-cell fragment that helps form clots and stop bleeding after a blood vessel is damaged.

3 µmRepresentative diameter
0 - shared origin
Yeast cell

Yeast is a group of single-celled fungi.

5 µmCharacteristic size
0 - shared origin

Both rulers start at the same zero and share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its original proportions. Horizontal rulers compare the selected spans; vertical brackets also identify height on the artwork.

Measurements, assumptions & sources +

Platelet

Representative diameter: 3 µm; representative; range 2 µm–4 µm.

A representative inactive human platelet about 3 µm across. Platelets vary in size and change shape dramatically when activated; the illustration is a resting schematic.

University of Utah — Cell size and scale

The marked representative diameter is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Yeast cell

Characteristic size: 5 µm; representative.

A chosen 5 µm yeast cell; species and growth stage alter its size.

University of Utah — Cell size and scale

The marked characteristic size is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.

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Why this measurement?

Why we use 3 µm

We compare the diameter of a platelet. This is a representative comparison value; individual specimens or conditions can vary. The recorded range is 2 µm to 4 µm.

A representative inactive human platelet about 3 µm across. Platelets vary in size and change shape dramatically when activated; the illustration is a resting schematic.

The marked horizontal span follows the measured feature, not the edges of the image. How calibrated comparisons work →

Explore microscopic objects →

Recorded properties

Dimensions and measurements

PropertySelected valueRecorded rangeBasis
3 µm2 µm to 4 µmrepresentative

Around this scale

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Sources and method

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The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.

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