Diameter of an Atom An atom is one of the basic units of matter. Everything around us is made up of atoms. An atom is a million times smaller than the thickest human hair. The diameter of an atom ranges from about 0.1 to 0.5 nanometers (1 × 10-10 m to 5 × 10-10 m). http://hypertextbook.com/facts/MichaelPhillip.shtml