Macroscopic scale

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Macroscopic is a word commonly used to describe physical objects that are measurable and observable by the naked eye.

When applied to phenomena and abstract objects, it describes existence in the world as we perceive it, often in contrast to experiences (microscopy) or theories (microphysics, statistical physics) considering objects of geometric lengths smaller than one millimeter (= 1mm).

A macroscopic view of a ball is just that: a ball. A microscopic view could reveal a thick round skin seemingly composed entirely of puckered cracks and fissures (as viewed through a microscope) or, further down in scale, a collection of molecules in the rough shape of a sphere.

Anything that applies to physical objects or physical settings having a geometric extent larger than one mm is called macroscopic. For example, classical mechanics, describing the movements of the above mentioned ball, can be considered a mainly macroscopic theory. As another example, near the absolute minimum of temperature, the Bose–Einstein condensate exhibits elementary quantum effects on macroscopic scale.

Physical objects or physical settings having a geometric extent larger than 1 mm have macroscopic scale or are in the macroscopic scale.

The term macroscopic may also refer to a "larger view", namely a view only available from a large perspective. A macroscopic position could be considered the "big picture".

[edit] Referenced Macroscopy

Macroscopy can be a physical trait applied relative to what one is observing. If one looks at a galaxy, a star is a microscopic entity, even if it is many, many orders of magnitude larger than us.

Physical objects or physical settings having a geometric extent larger than 1 reference unit of length (1mm, a star, or some other relevant unit length) have macroscopic scale with respect to or are in the macroscopic scale with respect to that reference unit of length.

[edit] See also

• Length
• Length scale
• Microscopic

[edit] References