Angstroms to Micrometers
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1 angstrom (Å) = 0.0001 micrometer (µm). Angstrom (Å) is a unit of Length used in Metric system. Micrometer (µm) 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.

Micrometer: A Unit of Length

Definition of the micrometer

The micrometer, also known as the micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI) that equals one millionth of a meter. Its symbol is µm.

History of the micrometer

The term micron and the symbol µ were officially accepted for use in isolation to denote the micrometer in 1879, but officially revoked by the International System of Units (SI) in 1967. This became necessary because the older usage was incompatible with the official adoption of the unit prefix micro-, denoted µ, during the creation of the SI in 1960. In the SI, the systematic name micrometre became the official name of the unit, and µm became the official unit symbol.

How to convert micrometer

The micrometer can be converted to other units of length using simple multiplication or division by powers of 10. For example, one micrometer is equal to 0.001 millimeters, 0.000001 meters, or 0.000000001 kilometers in the SI system. One micrometer is also equal to 0.000039 inches, 0.0000033 feet, or 0.00000062 miles in the US standard system.

Where micrometer is used

The micrometer is a common unit of measurement for wavelengths of infrared radiation as well as sizes of biological cells and bacteria, and for grading wool by the diameter of the fibers. The width of a single human hair ranges from approximately 20 to 200 µm

The micrometer is used in different countries and applications for various purposes. For example:

• In Canada, the micrometer is used to measure air quality by monitoring the concentration of particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere. PM2.5 refers to particles that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause health problems.
• In Japan, the micrometer is used to measure the thickness of paper and film products. The standard paper size A4 has a thickness of about 100 µm, while a typical plastic wrap has a thickness of about 10 µm.

Example conversions of micrometer to other units

Here are some sample conversions of micrometer to other units:

• 1 µm = 0.001 mm
• 1 µm = 0.000001 m
• 1 µm = 0.000000001 km
• 1 µm = 0.000039 in
• 1 µm = 0.0000033 ft
• 1 µm = 0.00000062 mi
• 1 µm = 10^^-6 m