A spherical bacterium has a diameter of 2 µm. What is the approximate volume of this bacterium in µm^3?

• A. 8.38 µm^3
• B. 4.19 µm^3
• C. 2.00 µm^3
• D. 12.57 µm^3

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the shape of the bacterium, which is spherical, and note the given diameter of 2 µm.
2. Calculate the radius of the bacterium by dividing the diameter by 2: \(r = \frac{2}{2} = 1\) µm.
3. Recall the formula for the volume of a sphere: \(V = \frac{4}{3} \pi r^{3}\).
4. Substitute the radius value into the volume formula: \(V = \frac{4}{3} \pi (1)^{3}\).
5. Simplify the expression to find the volume in cubic micrometers (µm³), which will give the approximate volume of the bacterium.