Nanoparticles exhibit unique chemical and physical properties that distinguish them from bulk materials. Which of the following statements regarding the properties and applications of nanoparticles is correct?
A cubic nanoparticle with a side length of 15 nm15\text{ nm}15 nm has a surface-area-to-volume ratio that is 10610^6106 times greater than that of a cubic microparticle of the same substance with a side length of 15 μm15\ \mu\text{m}15 μm.
Because of their extremely high surface-area-to-volume ratio, nanoparticles have a much larger proportion of their atoms exposed at the surface than bulk materials, making them highly effective catalysts but also raising concerns about their potential toxicity and transport across cell membranes.
Nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO\text{ZnO}ZnO) are used in sunscreens because their extremely small size prevents them from absorbing ultraviolet radiation, allowing visible light to pass through completely.
The diameter of a typical nanoparticle ranges from 1×10−11 m1 \times 10^{-11}\text{ m}1×10−11 m to 1×10−9 m1 \times 10^{-9}\text{ m}1×10−9 m, placing them in the same size order of magnitude as isolated hydrogen atoms.