Order Of Magnitude - GCSE Biology Definition

Reviewed by: Lára Marie McIvor

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'Order of magnitude' is a way to describe the size or amount of something by comparing it in powers of ten. In GCSE Biology, it helps you understand the scale of biological measurements, such as the size of cells or molecules. For example, if one object is 10 times bigger than another, it is one order of magnitude larger; if it is 100 times bigger, it is two orders of magnitude larger. This makes it easier to compare and understand large differences in size in biology.

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Lára Marie McIvor

Reviewer: Lára Marie McIvor

Expertise: Biology, Psychology & Sociology Subject Lead

Lára graduated from Oxford University in Biological Sciences and has now been a science tutor working in the UK for several years. Lára has a particular interest in the area of infectious disease and epidemiology, and enjoys creating original educational materials that develop confidence and facilitate learning.

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