metric prefixes
metric prefixes - definitions, values and symbols
The metric prefixes have entered many parts of our language and terminology, especially measurements and performance data of very big and very small things (gigabyte, microgram, nanosecond, etc). Knowing the actual values of the metric prefixes enables us to have a better understanding of the terms which use them, and the real size of things that are described by them. In the metric prefixes table below, 'Factor' equates to the ten-times factor; the positive ones represent the number of zeros after the figure; the negatives show the number of decimal places after the decimal point. Eg., kilogram = 10x10x10 = 103 (10 to the power of three is ten multiplied by itself three times = 1,000. A milligram is 1gm x 10-3 = one thousandth of a gram = 0.001gm).
The metric prefixes help us to appreciate measurements and sizes much more accurately: for instance, how heavy is a microgram? Could you feel a microgram in the palm of your hand? I doubt it .... a microgram is actually just one-millionth of a gram. How quick is a nanosecond? A blink of an eye? A bit quicker...... about a billion passed while you are reading this sentence.
the metric prefixes table
| metric prefix | abbreviation | factors |
| deca | da | 10 |
| hecto | h | 102 |
| kilo | k | 103 |
| mega | M | 106 |
| giga | G | 109 |
| tera | T | 1012 |
| peta | P | 1015 |
| exa | E | 1018 |
| deci | d | 10-1 |
| centi | c | 10-2 |
| milli | m | 10-3 |
| micro | µ | 10-6 |
| nano | n | 10-9 |
| pico | p | 10-12 |
| femto | f | 10-15 |
| atto | a | 10-18 |
This metric prefixes page is one of the least amusing on this website, although it does provide a lot of interesting material for quizzes and trivia puzzles. If you're in the mood for something a little more light-hearted, then see:
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