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In the metric system, the base unit of length is the meter. The meter was originally defined as 1/10000 of the distance between the North Pole and the Equator. Now, a meter is based on the distance light travels in a certain fraction of a second.

Meters, however, are not always practical in measuring long or short distances. By adding prefixes to the word "meter", we can change the unit in order to measure these lengths.

The common prefixes are listed above. Each one corresponds to a certain power of ten. The common prefixes we add to meters in chemistry are "kilo", "centi", "milli", "micro", and "nano." Each prefix modifies the base unit by the power of ten it corresponds to. For example, 1 kilometer = 1000 meters or 1 times 10 to the power of 3, because kilo corresponds to 10 cubed. Knowing these prefixes will greatly assist in understanding chemistry.

Each prefix has many uses in chemistry. Kilometers measure long distances, centimeters are commonly found on rulers and in everyday objects, millimeters assist with smaller objects, micrometers can describe large microscopic structures such as cells, and nanometers can describe atoms and wavelengths.

(Video) Metric Units of Length | Convert mm, cm, m and km

by Math with Mr. J

In this video, Mr. J teaches you how to convert between meters, centimeters, millimeters, and kilometers. You'll also get a chance to do some practice problems with him.

Measuring Length In Chemistry