submicroscopic
Smaller than visible
Submicroscopic describes things too small to be seen with an ordinary microscope—smaller than a micron, typically at the molecular or atomic scale.
Viruses, atoms, and subatomic particles are submicroscopic.
The submicroscopic structure of the cell membrane remained unknown until electron microscopy.
Billionth-meter dimension
- angstromSubatomic length unit
- picometerTrillionth of a meter
- nanometerMetric unit, billion-fold smaller
- femtometer10⁻¹⁵ meters
infinitesimal · minuscule · ultrafine · molecular · atomic · subatomic · nanoparticles · nanomaterials
Microscopic infectious agent
- virionSingle viral unit
- capsidViral genetic material's casing
- bacteriophageVirus infecting bacterial cells
- prionSelf-propagating rogue protein
ribosome · organelle · chromatin · membrane · protein · enzyme · DNA · RNA
Negative subatomic particle
- protonPositive nuclear particle
- neutronUncharged nuclear particle
- quarkFundamental matter particle
- nucleusCentral controlling part
atom · ion · molecule · particle · photon · boson · fermion · hadron
Cannot be seen
- undetectableImpossible to notice
- imperceptibleCannot be sensed
- unseenNot perceived visually
- hiddenKept out of sight
SEM · spectroscopy · imaging · resolution · visualization · magnification
nanoscale
Billionth-meter dimension
- angstromSubatomic length unit
- picometerTrillionth of a meter
- nanometerMetric unit, billion-fold smaller
femtometer · infinitesimal · minuscule · ultrafine · molecular · atomic · subatomic · nanoparticles · nanomaterials · ultrastructure
virus
Microscopic infectious agent
- virionSingle viral unit
- capsidViral genetic material's casing
- bacteriophageVirus infecting bacterial cells
prion · ribosome · organelle · chromatin · membrane · protein · enzyme · DNA · RNA · macromolecule
electron
Negative subatomic particle
nucleus · atom · ion · molecule · particle · photon · boson · fermion · hadron · lepton
invisible
Cannot be seen
- undetectableImpossible to notice
- imperceptibleCannot be sensed
- unseenNot perceived visually
hidden · SEM · spectroscopy · imaging · resolution · visualization · magnification
submicroscopicvisible
Able to be seen
macroscopic · observable · perceptible · naked-eye · discernible
microscope, microscopic, microscopes, microscopy, spectroscope, microscopically, electron microscope