Human vision can distinguish objects down to approximately one-fourth of a millimeter, or about 250 micrometers. Given this, which of the following are generally visible to the human eye? - Proteins - Bacterial cell - Animal cell - Poxvirus - Ribosomes - Plant cell - None of the above Please ask for more details or report if necessary.

Health · High School · Mon Jan 18 2021

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Out of the entities listed, the ones generally visible to the human eye are: - Bacterial cell (some types) - Animal cell - Plant cell

Most proteins, ribosomes, and viruses such as poxviruses are too small to be seen without the aid of a microscope. While the resolution limit of the human eye is around 250 micrometers, many bacteria, animal cells, and plant cells are larger than this size and can sometimes be seen as tiny specks to the keen, unaided eye, especially if they are clustered together. It's important to note that not all bacterial cells are visible; many are smaller and require a microscope to be seen. Similarly, individual animal and plant cells might not be discernible, but as part of a larger structure, such as a thin slice of tissue or a leaf, they can be visible.

Extra: To expand on this subject matter, it's important for students to understand that the resolution of the human eye is limited and varies between individuals. To observe smaller objects like proteins (which are typically 1-10 nanometers), ribosomes (20-30 nanometers), or viruses (which can range from about 20 to 300 nanometers for poxviruses), we need special equipment such as light microscopes or electron microscopes.

A light microscope can typically resolve objects down to about 200 nanometers, which is sufficient for most bacterial cells (which can range from 0.5 to 5 micrometers) but at the very limit for larger viruses. To observe something like a protein or ribosome, an electron microscope is necessary, which can resolve objects as small as 0.1 nanometers.

Understanding the scale of different biological components is crucial for students when learning about cell biology and microbiology. The use of microscopy has been instrumental in biology to allow scientists to observe and understand cellular structures and their functions, as well as the structure of viruses and the subcellular components like proteins and ribosomes, which are vital for life.