Glossary - N

nanometer, nm

One nanometer, written nm, is 10^-9 meter (0.000000001m).

neutron

A elementary partice that has is found in the nucleus of all atoms except the hydrogen atom. They are uncharged particles and have a mass nearly equal to that of a proton.

non-polar molecule

non-dipolar molecule

Molecules that do not have an intrinsic dipole moment e.g oil and most hydrocarbons

nucleic acids

Essentially DNA and RNA.

Linear polymers of the material that DNA and RNA are built out of (nucleotides), that are reponsible for the storage and expressin of genetic information.

nucleotides

Monomers of which DNA and RNA are built. They consist of phosphates, a nitrogenous base and a carbon chain.