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Meters explained

The meter is the fundamental unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), also known as the metric system. It is used to measure distances, lengths, and heights in various fields, including science, engineering, and everyday applications.

All length units in the metric system

Unit Symbol Description
Exameter Em 1018 meters
Petameter Pm 1015 meters
Terameter Tm 1012 meters
Gigameter Gm 109 meters
Megameter Mm 106 meters
Kilometer km 1,000 meters
Hectometer hm 100 meters
Dekameter dam 10 meters
Meter m Base unit
Decimeter dm 0.1 meters
Centimeter cm 0.01 meters
Millimeter mm 0.001 meters
Micrometer μm 10-6 meters
Nanometer nm 10-9 meters
Picometer pm 10-12 meters
Femtometer fm 10-15 meters
Attometer am 10-18 meters

This table shows all common length units derived from the meter. These units are used for different scales of measurement, from large distances like kilometers to small measurements like millimeters.

Origin

The meter was originally defined in 1793 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a meridian passing through Paris. In 1960, it was redefined as 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of the orange-red line of krypton-86. Since 1983, the meter has been defined as the distance traveled by light in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second, providing a precise and consistent standard for measurement.

Interesting Facts

The meter is widely used in many areas, including construction, transportation, and scientific research. Its universality and precision make it an essential unit for international communication and collaboration. Additionally, the meter's definition based on the speed of light ensures that it remains a stable and reliable unit for measuring lengths across different environments and conditions.

How do I convert meters to other length units?

Use the links below for easy conversions from meters to other length units available on this website.