© 1999 Robert A. Freitas Jr. All Rights Reserved.

Robert A. Freitas Jr., Nanomedicine, Volume I: Basic Capabilities, Landes Bioscience, Georgetown, TX, 1999

4.3.3 Acceleration Sensors

Accelerations inside nanoscale devices are often measured in the trillions of g's (g = 9.81 m/sec²). For example, an L = 1 nm diamondoid block (m = 3.5 x 10^-24 kg) with thermal energy ~kT experiences random thermal accelerations of a_therm ~ kT / g m L = 10¹¹g's; a 10-nm logic rod with vibrational energy ~kT experiences ~10¹² g oscillations; a 200-nm wide hoop spinning axially with 1000 m/sec rim speed has rotational acceleration of a ~ 10¹² g's.

Last updated on 17 February 2003