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What is the approximate length of the DNA molecule in the nucleus of human cells?

Question

What is the approximate length of the DNA molecule in the nucleus of human cells?

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Solution

The DNA molecule in a human cell is approximately 2 meters long. Here's how we arrive at this:

  1. A human cell contains 46 chromosomes, each of which is a single, long DNA molecule.

  2. Each DNA molecule - or chromosome - is about 1.7 to 8.5 cm long when uncoiled.

  3. If we take an average length of 5 cm per chromosome, and multiply this by the 46 chromosomes in a cell, we get a total length of 230 cm, or 2.3 meters.

  4. However, this is an overestimate because the lengths of individual chromosomes vary, and not all are as long as the average.

  5. Therefore, a more accurate estimate is that the total length of DNA in a human cell is about 2 meters.

This is an astonishing fact, considering that the nucleus of a cell, where this DNA is stored, is just a few micrometers in diameter!

This problem has been solved

Similar Questions

How long is the DNA found in each cell?

What name is given to the structures in the nucleus which are made of large molecules of DNA?

Aside from the nucleus, where else can a small amount of DNA be found in a eukaryotic cell?

How many nucleotides does the human genome contain?

In the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, all of the DNA is divided into multiple , which are continuous, long strands of DNA wrapped around proteins.

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