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1 centimeter (cm) = 10000000 nanometer (nm). Centimeter (cm) is a unit of Length used in Metric system. Nanometer (nm) is a unit of Length used in Metric system.

Centimeter: A Unit of Length Used in the Metric System

The centimeter (cm) is a unit of length in the metric system, which is the most widely used system of measurement in the world. The centimeter is equal to one hundredth of a meter, which is the SI base unit of length. The centimeter is also a derived unit in the International System of Units (SI), which is the official system of measurement for science and engineering. The symbol for centimeter is cm. The centimeter is used for measuring small distances and dimensions, such as the width of a fingernail or the diameter of a coin. The centimeter is also used for measuring areas and volumes, such as the area of a sheet of paper or the volume of a water bottle. The centimeter is named after the centi prefix, which means one hundredth in Latin. In this article, we will explore the definition, history, usage and conversion of the centimeter as a unit of length.

Definition of the Centimeter

The centimeter is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a meter. It is defined as 1/100 meters. The meter 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 centimeter has not changed since its introduction by the French Academy of Sciences in 1795, as part of the decimal metric system that was adopted after the French Revolution. However, the definition of the meter has changed several times over time, as different standards and methods of measurement were developed by various countries and organizations. The current definition of the meter as based on the speed of light was agreed upon by an international treaty in 1983.

History of the Centimeter

The origin of the centimeter as a unit of length can be traced back to 1795, when the French Academy of Sciences proposed a new system of measurement that was based on decimal fractions and natural constants. The system was called the metric system, and it was intended to replace the old and diverse systems of measurement that were used in France and other countries at that time. The metric system was designed to be simple, universal and rational.

The base unit of length in the metric system was the meter, which was defined as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a meridian through Paris. The meter was divided into ten decimeters, each decimeter into ten centimeters, and each centimeter into ten millimeters. The prefixes deci, centi and milli indicated that they were one tenth, one hundredth and one thousandth of a meter respectively.

The metric system was officially adopted by France in 1799, and gradually spread to other countries over the next century. In 1875, an international treaty called the Metre Convention was signed by 17 countries to establish a common standard for measuring length and mass. The treaty also established an international organization called the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) to maintain and improve the metric system.

In 1889, a new standard for the meter was created by using a platinum-iridium bar that was kept at BIPM. This bar was called the International Prototype Metre, and it was divided into ten equal parts to make standard centimeters. The bar was also compared with other national standards to ensure accuracy and consistency.

In 1960, an international conference called the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) adopted a new system of measurement called the International System of Units (SI), which was based on seven base units that could be derived from physical constants. The meter was redefined as 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of light emitted by a krypton-86 atom in a vacuum. The centimeter remained as a derived unit in SI, but it was no longer recommended for use in scientific and technical fields.

In 1983, another CGPM conference redefined the meter again as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299792458 seconds. This definition was based on the speed of light, which is a universal constant that can be measured with high precision. The centimeter also changed accordingly to reflect this new definition.

Usage of the Centimeter

The centimeter is a unit of length that is used for measuring small distances and dimensions, such as the width of a fingernail or the diameter of a coin. The centimeter is also used for measuring areas and volumes, such as the area of a sheet of paper or the volume of a water bottle.

The centimeter is widely used in everyday life, especially in countries that follow the metric system. Some examples are:

• Measuring clothing sizes and body measurements.
• Measuring furniture dimensions and room sizes.
• Measuring paper sizes and formats.
• Measuring screen sizes and resolutions.
• Measuring rainfall amounts and snow depths.
• Measuring map scales and distances.

The centimeter is also used in some scientific and technical fields, such as:

• Measuring wavelengths and frequencies of electromagnetic radiation.
• Measuring lengths and diameters of microscopic objects.
• Measuring thicknesses and cross-sections of materials.
• Measuring focal lengths and apertures of lenses.
• Measuring blood pressure and blood glucose levels.



How to Convert Centimeter

The centimeter can be converted to other units of length by using conversion factors or formulas. Here are some examples of how to convert centimeters to other units of length in the SI system, the US customary system and other systems:

• To convert centimeters to millimeters, multiply by 10. For example, 10 cm = 10 × 10 = 100 mm.
• To convert centimeters to meters, divide by 100. For example, 10 cm = 10 / 100 = 0.1 m.
• To convert centimeters to kilometers, divide by 100000. For example, 10 cm = 10 / 100000 = 0.0001 km.
• To convert centimeters to inches, multiply by 0.3937. For example, 10 cm = 10 × 0.3937 = 3.937 in.
• To convert centimeters to feet, multiply by 0.0328. For example, 10 cm = 10 × 0.0328 = 0.328 ft.
• To convert centimeters to yards, multiply by 0.0109. For example, 10 cm = 10 × 0.0109 = 0.109 yd.
• To convert centimeters to miles, multiply by 0.0000062137. For example, 10 cm = 10 × 0.0000062137 = 0.000062137 mi.
• To convert centimeters to nanometers, multiply by 10000000. For example, one cm = one × 10000000 = 10000000 nm.
• To convert centimeters to micrometers, multiply by 10000. For example, one cm = one × 10000 = 10000 µm.

Nanometer: A Unit of Length

Definition of the Nanometer

A nanometer or nanometre (international spelling) is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), equal to one billionth (short scale) of a meter (0.000 000 001 m) and to 1000 picometres. One nanometer can be expressed in scientific notation as 1 × 10-9 m, and as 1/1 000 000 000 metres.

History of the Nanometer

The nanometer was formerly known as the millimicrometre - or, more commonly, the millimicron for short - since it is 1/1000 of a micrometre, and was often denoted by the symbol mµ or, more rarely, as µµ. The name combines the SI prefix nano- (from the Ancient Greek nanos, “dwarf”) with the parent unit name metre (from Greek metron, “unit of measurement”).

The nanometer was first used in the late 19th century by scientists who studied light and optics, such as Lord Rayleigh and Albert Michelson. They used interferometers to measure wavelengths of light in nanometers. In the early 20th century, the nanometer was also used by physicists who studied atomic and molecular structures, such as Ernest Rutherford and Niels Bohr. They used spectroscopy and scattering experiments to determine the sizes and distances of atoms and molecules in nanometers. In the mid-20th century, the nanometer was also used by chemists and biologists who studied colloids and macromolecules, such as The Svedberg and Linus Pauling. They used ultracentrifuges and X-ray diffraction to measure the sizes and shapes of particles and polymers in nanometers.

In the late 20th century, the nanometer became more widely used as a result of the development of nanotechnology, which is the manipulation of matter at the nanoscale. Nanotechnology involves various fields of science and engineering, such as electronics, materials, medicine, energy and environment. Nanotechnology enables the creation of new devices and systems with novel properties and functions that depend on their nanoscale dimensions.

How to Convert Nanometer

To convert nanometer to other units of length, one can use the following conversion factors:

• 1 nanometer = 10^-9 meter
• 1 nanometer = 10^-6 millimeter
• 1 nanometer = 10^-3 micrometer
• 1 nanometer = 10 angstrom
• 1 nanometer = 3.937 × 10^-8 inch
• 1 nanometer = 3.281 × 10^-9 foot

To convert other units of length to nanometer, one can use the inverse of these conversion factors.

Where Nanometer is Used

The nanometer is often used to express dimensions on an atomic scale and mostly in the molecular scale. For example:

• The diameter of a helium atom is about 0.06 nm
• The diameter of a water molecule is about 0.28 nm
• The thickness of a DNA strand is about 2 nm
• The diameter of a ribosome is about 20 nm
• The thickness of a cell membrane is about 10 nm

The nanometer is also commonly used to specify the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation near the visible part of the spectrum: visible light ranges from around 400 to 700 nm. For example:

• The wavelength of violet light is about 400 nm
• The wavelength of green light is about 550 nm
• The wavelength of red light is about 700 nm

The nanometer is also used to describe typical feature sizes in successive generations of the ITRS Roadmap for miniaturized semiconductor device fabrication in the semiconductor industry. For example:

• The transistor gate length in Intel’s Pentium processor (1993) was about 800 nm
• The transistor gate length in Intel’s Core processor (2006) was about 65 nm
• The transistor gate length in Intel’s Tiger Lake processor (2020) was about 10 nm

The nanometer is used in different countries for different applications, depending on their level of development and innovation in nanotechnology. For example:

• In Japan, nanotechnology is used for improving the performance and efficiency of solar cells, batteries, fuel cells, sensors, and displays.
• In China, nanotechnology is used for developing new materials, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and nanocomposites, for various industries, such as aerospace, automotive, and textile.
• In India, nanotechnology is used for addressing social and environmental challenges, such as water purification, health care, agriculture, and energy.

Example Conversions of Nanometer to Other Units

Here are some example conversions of nanometer to other units of length:

• 1 nm = 10^-9 m
• 10 nm = 10^-8 m
• 100 nm = 10^-7 m
• 1000 nm = 10^-6 m = 1 µm
• 10 000 nm = 10^-5 m = 10 µm
• 100 000 nm = 10^-4 m = 100 µm
• 1 000 000 nm = 10^-3 m = 1 mm