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1 angstrom (Å) = 1E-10 meter (m). Angstrom (Å) is a unit of Length used in Metric system. Meter (m) is a unit of Length used in Metric system.

Angstrom: A Small Unit of Length Used in the SI System

The angstrom is a unit of length that is equal to 0.1 nanometer (nm) or 10^-10 meter (m). It is one of the non-SI units that are accepted for use with the International System of Units (SI), which is the most widely used system of measurement in the world. The symbol for angstrom is Å, a letter of the Swedish alphabet. The unit is named after the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström (1814-1874), who was a pioneer in the field of spectroscopy. The angstrom is often used in the natural sciences and technology to express sizes of atoms, molecules, microscopic biological structures, and lengths of chemical bonds, arrangement of atoms in crystals, wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, and dimensions of integrated circuit parts. In this article, we will explore the definition, history, usage and conversion of the angstrom as a unit of length.

Definition of the Unit

The angstrom is a unit of length that is equal to 0.1 nanometer (nm) or 10^-10 meter (m). It is one of the non-SI units that are accepted for use with the International System of Units (SI), which is based on seven base units: meter (length), kilogram (mass), second (time), ampere (electric current), kelvin (temperature), mole (amount of substance) and candela (luminous intensity). The SI base unit of length is the meter, which is defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299792458 seconds.

The definition of the angstrom has not changed since its introduction in 1868 by Anders Jonas Ångström, who used it to express wavelengths of light in his chart of the spectrum of sunlight. However, the definition of the meter has changed several times over time, as different standards and methods of measurement were adopted by various countries and regions. The current definition of the meter as based on the speed of light was agreed upon by an international treaty in 1983, and since then the angstrom has been exactly equal to 10^-10 meter.

History of the Unit

The origin of the angstrom as a unit of length can be traced back to 1868, when Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström created a chart of the spectrum of sunlight, in which he expressed the wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation in multiples of one ten-millionth of a millimeter (or 10^-7 mm). He chose this unit because it was convenient for his work on spectroscopy, which is the study of how matter interacts with electromagnetic radiation. He also named this unit after himself, as he wrote in his paper: "I have taken as unit for these measurements one ten-millionth part [of a millimeter], which I will call an Ångström".

Ångström’s unit was soon adopted by other spectroscopists and physicists, who found it useful for expressing wavelengths of visible light, ultraviolet light and X-rays. However, they soon realized that the definition of the millimeter at the time, based on a material artifact, was not accurate enough for their work. So, around 1907 they defined their own unit of length, which they called "Ångström", based on the wavelength of a specific spectral line emitted by krypton-86 gas. This new definition was more precise and stable than the previous one based on the millimeter.

In 1960, when the meter was redefined as based on a specific number of wavelengths emitted by krypton-86 gas, the angstrom became again equal to 10^-10 meter. However, this definition was soon replaced by another one based on the speed of light in vacuum in 1983. Since then, the angstrom has remained unchanged as equal to 10^-10 meter.

Usage of the Unit

The angstrom is a unit of length that is often used in the natural sciences and technology to express sizes of atoms, molecules, microscopic biological structures, and lengths of chemical bonds, arrangement of atoms in crystals, wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, and dimensions of integrated circuit parts. Some examples of where the angstrom is used are:

• Chemistry: The angstrom is used for measuring atomic radii, bond lengths and interatomic distances. For example, a carbon atom has an atomic radius of about 0.77 Å, a carbon-carbon single bond has a length of about 1.54 Å, and a benzene molecule has a diameter of about 5.4 Å.
• Biology: The angstrom is used for measuring molecular structures, such as proteins, DNA and viruses. For example, a typical amino acid has a size of about 3 Å, a DNA helix has a diameter of about 20 Å, and a coronavirus has a diameter of about 120,000 Å.
• Physics: The angstrom is used for measuring wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, such as visible light, ultraviolet light and X-rays. For example, the visible spectrum ranges from about 4000 Å (violet) to 7000 Å (red), the ultraviolet spectrum ranges from about 10 Å to 4000 Å, and the X-ray spectrum ranges from about 0.01 Å to 10 Å.
• Engineering: The angstrom is used for measuring dimensions of integrated circuit parts, such as transistors, wires and gates. For example, the smallest feature size of a modern microprocessor is about 50 Å.

How to Convert

The angstrom can be converted to other units of length by using conversion factors or formulas. Here are some examples of how to convert angstroms to other units of length in the U.S. customary system, the imperial system and the SI system:

• To convert angstroms to inches, divide by 2.54 × 108. For example, 100 Å = 100 / (2.54 × 108) = 3.937 × 10^-7 in.
• To convert angstroms to feet, divide by 3.048 × 109. For example, 1000 Å = 1000 / (3.048 × 109) = 3.281 × 10^-8 ft.
• To convert angstroms to yards, divide by 9.144 × 109. For example, 10,000 Å = 10,000 / (9.144 × 109) = 1.094 × 10^-8 yd.
• To convert angstroms to miles, divide by 1.609 × 1013. For example, 100 million Å = 100 million / (1.609 × 1013) = 6.214 × 10^-6 mi.
• To convert angstroms to centimeters, divide by 108. For example, one angstrom = one / (108) = one-hundred-millionth of a centimeter.
• To convert angstroms to meters, divide by 1010. For example, one angstrom = one / (1010) = one-ten-billionth of a meter.

Meter - Unit of Distance / Length

Unit Symbol / Abbreviation: m

Where the unit used in the World:

The meter is used as a unit to measure medium distances or lengths.
It's a standard measure for short distances (up to 1 km long), in real estate and construction, supply materials, vehicle and aircraft dimensions, short geographical distances and directions in most countries excluding the USA where foot and yard are still widely used for this purpose.
The meter is widely used in most countries and is the official unit for medium lengths and distances (for example, road signs in continental Europe show maximum vehicle hight in meters). Primary exceptions are the United States of America, and some countries where feet and yards are used in limited extent: the United Kingdom and Canada, where the yard remains in limited use as a part of imperial system (for example, yards are used on road signs for shorter distances in the United Kingdom and feet are widely used in construction and real estate in Canada).

Definition of the Unit:

The meter (metre in UK spelling) is a unit of length/distance in the metric system (SI Unit system) equivalent to the length of the path travelled by light during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second (in vacuum, defined since 1983).

1 m is equivalent to 3.28084 ft or 0.000621371 miles.

History of the Unit:

As a result of the French Revolution in 1789, the old units of measure that were associated with the monarchy were replaced by the new units. The new unit of length was introduced which became known as the meter. In 1795 the meter was defined as 1/10,000,000 part of the quarter of a meridian, passing through Paris. The meter gained popularity in continental Europe during the nineteenth century, particularly in scientific field, and was officially adopted as an international measurement unit in 1875. In 1960 the meter was defined as 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of light from a specified transition in krypton-86. In 1983 the final definition of meter was accepted as length of the path travelled by light in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.

Where it's used:

The meter is commonly used in different trades and industries (for examle in machinery manufacturing), on road signs to indicate vehicle hight limits, the distance to short travel to a given location (for example in automotive GPS navigation voice prompts), on maps to indicate small scale, for vehicle, vessels and aircragt dimensions in industry and trade. It is also the most popular unit for describing the retail estate distances and measurements (room sizes, floor measurements and so on).

Equivalents in other units and scales:

• 1 m = 1000 millimeters (mm)
• 1 m = 100 centimeters (cm)
• 1 m = 10 decimeters (dm)
• 1 m = 0.001 kilometers (km)
• 1 m = 3.28084 feet (ft)
• 1 megameter = 1000000 m
• 1 gigameter = 1000000000 m
• Units of length in the metric SI system are based on multiples or fractions of a meter.
• There are measurements of length/distance in the metric SI system greater than a meter that can be expressed in terms of metres.

1 m is equivalent to 3.28084 ft or 1.09361 yd.

The meter is a unit of length in the metric SI system and is equivalent to the length of the path travelled by light during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second (in vacuum, defined since 1983).