The bacterium Escherichia coli (or E. coli) is a single-celled organism thatlives in the gut of healthy humans and animals. Its body shape can be modeled as a 2-μm-long cylinder with a 1 μm diameter, andit has a mass of 1 x 10-12 g. Its chromosome consists of a single double-stranded chain of DNA 700 times longer than its body length. The bacterium moves at a constant speed of 20 μm/s, though not always in thesame direction. Answer the following questions about E. coli using SI base units (unless specifically requested otherwise) and correct significant figures.a. What is its length?b. Diameter?c. Mass?d. What is the length of its DNA, in millimeters?e. If the organism were to move along a straight path, how many meters would it travel in one day?
The bacterium Escherichia coli (or E. coli) is a single-celled organism that
lives in the gut of healthy humans and animals. Its body shape can be modeled as a 2-μm-long cylinder with a 1 μm diameter, and
it has a mass of 1 x 10-12 g. Its chromosome consists of a single double-stranded chain of DNA 700 times longer than its body length. The bacterium moves at a constant speed of 20 μm/s, though not always in the
same direction. Answer the following questions about E. coli using SI base units (unless specifically requested otherwise) and correct significant figures.
a. What is its length?
b. Diameter?
c. Mass?
d. What is the length of its DNA, in millimeters?
e. If the organism were to move along a straight path, how many meters would it travel in one day?
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