What is the typical size range for bacteria?

Bacteria typically fall within the size range of 0.5 to 5 micrometers. This size is significant as it allows for the various physiological functions necessary for bacterial life, such as nutrient uptake and waste elimination, which are facilitated by a relatively large surface area to volume ratio. The small size of bacteria contributes to their rapid replication and adaptability in diverse environments. Understanding this size range is crucial in microbiology as it influences methods of identification, observation under a microscope, and the development of treatments targeting bacterial infections. Each of the other ranges provided are either too small or too large to accurately represent the vast majority of bacterial species, making the selected option the most representative of bacterial dimensions.