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Prefixes of Units

Physics: AQA A Level, topic 1.1.3

Prefixes of Units

Using prefixes before a unit indicates the scale of the value.
For example, 1 nanometre (nm) = 10-9m. 3nm = 3×10-9m.

Nano (n)

Nano (n)

  • Multiplies the unit by 10-9.
  • This is equivalent to multiplying by 0.000000001.
Micro (μ)

Micro (μ)

  • Multiplies the unit by 10-6.
  • This is equivalent to multiplying by 0.000001.
Milli (m)

Milli (m)

  • Multiplies the unit by 10-3.
  • This is equivalent to multiplying by 0.001.
Centi (c)

Centi (c)

  • Multiplies the unit by 10-2.
  • This is equivalent to multiplying by 0.01.
Kilo (k)

Kilo (k)

  • Multiplies the unit by 103.
  • This is equivalent to multiplying by 1000.
Mega (M)

Mega (M)

  • Multiplies the unit by 106.
  • This is equivalent to multiplying by 1000000.
Giga (G)

Giga (G)

  • Multiplies the unit by 109.
  • This is equivalent to multiplying by 1000000000.

Test yourself on Prefixes of Units

  • Which of these prefixes are used for values smaller than 1?

  • Which of these is equal to 0.003 seconds?

  • Which of the following is NOT a prefix for SI units?

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