The size of an atom, which is on the nanoscopic scale, does not directly determine the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves it can emit or absorb. The generation of radio waves with wavelengths measured in inches, feet, or miles is a result of collective behavior and interactions among a large number of atoms or charged particles.
Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with long wavelengths in the radio frequency range. They are generated when charged particles, such as electrons, oscillate back and forth in an antenna or an electronic circuit. The specific frequency or wavelength of the radio waves produced is determined by the properties of the antenna or circuit, not the size of individual atoms.
In a radio transmitter, an electrical current is passed through an antenna, which causes the electrons in the antenna to accelerate back and forth. This acceleration of charged particles generates electromagnetic waves that radiate outwards as radio waves. The frequency of the alternating current applied to the antenna determines the frequency and wavelength of the resulting radio waves.
It's important to note that although the individual atoms are much smaller than the wavelengths of radio waves, the collective behavior of a large number of atoms can give rise to macroscopic effects. The size of the atoms themselves does not limit the wavelength of the radio waves they can produce or interact with.