What is the typical radius of an atom?

The typical radius of an atom is about 0.1 nanometers. This measurement is generally accepted in the field of chemistry as it reflects the size of atoms, which are the fundamental building blocks of matter. Atoms consist of a nucleus made up of protons and neutrons, surrounded by a cloud of electrons. The electron cloud defines the effective size or radius of an atom, which is influenced by its electron configuration and the attraction between the electrons and the nucleus.

Atoms are not solid objects with defined boundaries; rather, they possess probabilistic positions for their electrons, leading to the average atomic radius being around 0.1 nanometers (or 1 angstrom). This range is typical for most elements in the periodic table, especially those that are not large heavy elements. The other options reflect either sizes too small or too large compared to the typical atomic scale we encounter in chemistry. For instance, a radius of 0.01 nanometers would suggest an extremely compact structure, while a radius of 1 nanometer or 10 nanometers would exceed the size of a single atom, encompassing the dimensions of clusters of atoms or molecules rather than individual atoms themselves.