Macroscopic

Macroscopic refers to objects that can be seen with the naked eye, as opposed to microscopic objects, which require the use of a microscope to be seen. The term is most often used in physics, chemistry, and biology to distinguish between phenomena on scales visible to the naked eye and those at the molecular or atomic level.

Overview

In the physical sciences, the macroscopic scale refers to scales on which objects or phenomena are large enough to be visible almost practically with the naked eye, without the aid of magnifying devices. When applied to phenomena and abstract concepts, the macroscopic scale describes things as a person can directly perceive them, without the aid of magnifying devices. This is in contrast to the microscopic scale, which covers objects and events smaller than can be seen with the naked eye, including those that require a microscope or other special equipment to see.

Macroscopic vs Microscopic

The macroscopic and microscopic scales are two tiers of observation in science and engineering. The macroscopic scale includes phenomena and objects that can be seen with the naked eye, while the microscopic scale includes smaller objects and phenomena, typically observed with the aid of a microscope or similar device.

In Physics

In physics, a macroscopic state is a statistical ensemble of microstates. In other words, the macroscopic state is an average of a large number of particles. For example, the gas in a container, with an average energy per particle, is a macroscopic state.

In Chemistry

In chemistry, the macroscopic properties of a system are the ones that can be directly measured through simple observation. These properties include volume, pressure, and temperature.

In Biology

In biology, macroscopic organisms are those that can be seen with the naked eye, such as animals and plants. This is in contrast to microscopic organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, which can only be seen with the aid of a microscope.

See Also

• Microscopic
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology

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