Hello. I'm taking a more or less popularized intro course on nanotechnology. This is the problem I'm trying to answer:

"It has been proposed that a 'molecular assembler' (unit that creates nano-structures atom by atom, like Grey Goo was to be produced) would consist of 1*10^9 atoms. What size does such a structure have? Is this bigger than the size of a typical enzyme? What consequences does this have for making a 'molecular assembler'?"

From a former problem I've taken the assumptions that the relevant material would have a linear atom size of 0.25 nm and that the atoms would lie in close contact with each other.

I visualise the structure in the form of a cube with a billion atoms. This means each side consists of 10^3 atoms. This means the linear size of the structure would be 10^3 * 0.25*10^(-9) m = 250 nm.

Now, what is a 'typical enzyme'? And what would its size be? And how could one answer the last question?

Thanks for your time.

The answer is and always will be, (that those colonies that self assemble, will reference to the outside parent world, in the manner that either chances or design has them relate in this way).

Notes, Grey goo is not concurrent, unless this is an example of an unstructured civilization, that does not be chance or design care about itself.

For your classwork, please use magazine or web references to the state of affairs of the Cincinnati public sewer system, some ten or so years ago?

Enzymes are set to the type of design of the nanocolonies.
So this could be a machine colony, a bio-machine colony, or another style of colony, that is based in (what-materials?)?

An assembler in primacy, is hard and lab based.
Your initial assembler, would be a nanometers device, that assembles devices to assemble other devices.

The danger here, is that nanoswarms, have a type of intra-colony code, which must adhere to an implanted controller, which directs the entire (intent herd).

The problem is in the proper writing of the correct code, for a very small group of micro-nano-bots that are assigned by intent to try and complete a particular task.
This code is an infantile code at first, however if the swarm is proportionately large, then the macro code, invests as a product of either bio, or para-bio-like mechanics, which direct the entire heard?

It is thought that Morgellions disease is an accidental byproduct of someone goofing, (cough!) within some ill begotten sector of the (who knows) nanoindustry?

This must be said, as these vested actions, must possibly relate to the Grey Good scenario.

Grey Goo might be foreshortened as an inherent possibility, by utilizing animal or humanoid structures, to fashion attachments from a rouge colony of nanomicrobots, to that particular being.

So in finality, these would or possibly might be nano-ciberism?

In theory, it is postulated by some, that nanotechnologies, as invested in the vibrancy of living tissue or beings, is well off-world vested already.

Note, your nano-microbots, would be bigger than just atoms.

What you need to do, is to nudge your proff and indicate to him her, that relative virus to bacteria size, can be the rough parameter size for a micro-nanobot.

The reason you cant go too small, is that you need something to carry either the eletro-chemical communicative network, or a form of self circuitry, that is smaller than the bot itself.

Hi Fjellvandrer!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme#Struct..._and_mechanisms (available in Nordic languages as well)
"Enzymes [...] range from just 62 amino acid residues in size [...] to over 2,500 residues"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aminoacid
"general formula H2NCHRCOOH, where R is an organic substituent."
"R group [...] can vary in size from just a hydrogen atom through a methyl group to a large heterocyclic group."

So just figure out what a typical enzyme is...

As for the dimensions, I believe they are folded to the point that they are quite compact and your estimation with packed atoms should apply.

So enzymes would be smaller than a molecular assembler of 1e9 atoms.