Chemistry - CJ, Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at 10:53pm

I am experiencing a major block....

I can't say....
1micrometer= 1000nm
5micrometer= x..... because I'll get back the same thing

So please help me, tell me the answer please.

1 metre = 100 cm

5 metres = ? cm

Also, it would be of big help to you if you would re-read the question and try to understand what is being asked.

It is similar to a problem like:
If I can buy a candy with one penny (1 cent),
how many candies can I buy with $5.00?
knowing that 1$ equals 100 cents.

For reference, these are the links to related posts on the same question.

http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1427844366

http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1427822942

So the answer is 5nm?

Please bare with me, I need to understand it.

Perhaps it is easier if we go back to the question to make sure we understand information given in the question, and what the question is asking.

"Nanotubes are rolled up cylinders of graphite with diameters of about 1nanometer, and lengths in micrometers."

The above paragraph is telling us that nanotubes, which is a special kind of material that can exist is extremely small dimensions, so small that it can hardly be seen under the microscope.
The diameter of the cylinder is 1 nanometre, while a typical virus is about 20 nanometres.

The length of the cylinder is 5 micrometres. Knowing that 1 micrometer equals 1000 nanometres, i.e.
1 micrometer = 1000 nanometers,
can you tell me what is the length of the cylinder in nanometers?

Length of cylinder is 5x10^–6 micrometers.

Sorry 5000nm

5000 nm is correct.

How many times as big is 5000 nm (length of tube) compared to 1 nm (diameter of tube)?

It is 5 times as big...Ok so the and is 5 diameters....I got it right?

In case you got confused with the units, I underline that the units are the same, namely, nanometre, or nm.

You have a tube of length of 5000 nm, and diameter of 1 nm.
How many time is the length bigger than the diameter?