Metric System

MEASUREMENT

1.1 - Metric System

SI prefix for the base unit of meter (m):

PREFIX

MULTIPLE / SCIENTIFIC NOTATION

Length

Meter Equivalent

mega-

1,000,000 or 10⁶

Mm (megameter)

1 Mm = 1,000,000 meter

kilo-

1,000 or 10³

km (kilometer)

1 km = 1,000 meter

deci-

0.1or 10^-1

dm (decimeter)

1 dm = 0.1meter

centi-

0.01 or 10^-2

cm (centimeter)

1 cm = 0.01meter

milli-

0.001or 10^-3

mm (millimeter)

1 mm = 0.001meter

micro-

0.000001or 10^-6

µm (micrometer)

1 µm = 0.000001meter

nano-

0.000000001or 10^-9

nm (nanometer)

1 nm = 0.000000001meter

In addition to the SI unit of base unit of length, meter, a unit of length that is commonly used Chemistry is the angstrom. The abbreviation for angstrom is Å.

1Å = 10^-10 meter

Some approximate sizes:

a penny is approximately 2 cm in diameter
an average adult is approximately 1.7 meter
the thickness of hair is approximately 60 micrometer
a piece of paper is approximately 0.1 millimeter
one full twist of the DNA molecule is 3-4 nanometer

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British Columbia Institute of Technology
Chemistry Department - 3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5G 3H2

PREFIX	MULTIPLE / SCIENTIFIC NOTATION	Length	Meter Equivalent
mega-	1,000,000 or 10⁶	Mm (megameter)	1 Mm = 1,000,000 meter
kilo-	1,000 or 10³	km (kilometer)	1 km = 1,000 meter
deci-	0.1or 10^-1	dm (decimeter)	1 dm = 0.1meter
centi-	0.01 or 10^-2	cm (centimeter)	1 cm = 0.01meter
milli-	0.001or 10^-3	mm (millimeter)	1 mm = 0.001meter
micro-	0.000001or 10^-6	µm (micrometer)	1 µm = 0.000001meter
nano-	0.000000001or 10^-9	nm (nanometer)	1 nm = 0.000000001meter