Metric System Prefixes

1. Metric System Prefixes “Yes, I got you ten roses. I believe that the strongest relationships are based on the metric system.” Mike Jones Pisgah High School Canton NC Revised 020211

2. Metric System Prefixes mega- kilo- deci- centi- milli- micro- nano- pico-

3. Metric System Prefixes mega- M Mm kilo- k km deci- d dm centi- c cm milli- m mm micro- m mm nano- n nm pico- p pm

4. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- deci- centi- milli- micro- nano- pico-

5. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- centi- milli- micro- nano- pico-

6. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- milli- micro- nano- pico-

7. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- micro- nano- pico-

8. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- nano- pico-

9. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- pico-

10. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico-

11. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth)

12. Metric System Prefixes mega- M Mm 1x106 (1 million) kilo- k km 1x103 (1000) deci- d dm 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- c cm 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- m mm 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- m mm 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- n nm 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- p pm 1x10-12 (1 trillionth)

13. Megahertz Megohm Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Mega- resistor

14. A “kilo” of cocaine is a kilogram kilometer Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Kilo-

15. A cubic decimeter is a liter Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Deci- Deci … just like in “decimal”… 10

16. How many centimeters to an inch? Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) 2.54 cm Centi- Same root as “century” or 100 years

17. “Phelps by a millimeter” Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Milli- Has nothing to do with a “million”.

18. “Phelps by a millimeter” Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Milli- Has nothing to do with a “million”.

19. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) “Micro” means more than just “small”. “Micro” is what refers to a millionth, not “milli”. Micro-

20. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Micro- The sizes of bacteria are measured in micrometers.

21. A microwave oven uses radio waves with wavelengths measured in micrometers. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Micro-

22. “Nano” means more than just “really small”. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Nano-

23. The wavelengths of visible light in are in the hundreds of nanometers. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Nano-

24. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Nano- Viruses are in the 10 nm to 200 nm range.

25. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Pico- The sizes of atoms are measured in picometers.

26. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Pico- The sizes of atoms are measured in picometers.

27. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Femto- 1x10-15 The sizes of the nuclei of atoms are measured in femtometers.

28. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Femto- Consider an atom which may be 400 pm across, but the nucleus is less than 20 fm in diameter. 1x10-15 The nucleus is 20,000 times smaller than an atom!

29. Metric System Prefixes mega- = 1x106 (1 million) kilo- = 1x103 (1000) deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- = 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- = 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- = 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- = 1x10-12 (1 trillionth) Femto- If we put a dime on the floor to represent the diameter of the nucleus, then the edge of the atom would be about 200 meters away. 1x10-15 17.91 mm

30. Metric System Prefixes mega- M Mm 1x106 (1 million) kilo- k km 1x103 (1000) deci- d dm 1x10-1 (1/10) centi- c cm 1x10-2 (1/100) milli- m mm 1x10-3 (1/1000) micro- m mm 1x10-6 (1 millionth) nano- n nm 1x10-9 (1 billionth) pico- p pm 1x10-12 (1 trillionth)