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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

24. Nano- Metric System Prefixes Viruses are in the 10 nm to 200 nm range.
mega- = 1x106 (1 million)
kilo- = 1x103 (1000)
deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10)
centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100)
milli- = 1x (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. Pico- Metric System Prefixes
mega- = 1x106 (1 million)
kilo- = 1x103 (1000)
deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10)
centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100)
milli- = 1x (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. Pico- Metric System Prefixes
mega- = 1x106 (1 million)
kilo- = 1x103 (1000)
deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10)
centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100)
milli- = 1x (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. Femto- Metric System Prefixes 1x10-15
mega- = 1x106 (1 million)
kilo- = 1x103 (1000)
deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10)
centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100)
milli- = 1x (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. Femto- Metric System Prefixes
mega- = 1x106 (1 million)
kilo- = 1x103 (1000)
deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10)
centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100)
milli- = 1x (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. Femto- Metric System Prefixes
mega- = 1x106 (1 million)
kilo- = 1x103 (1000)
deci- = 1x10-1 (1/10)
centi- = 1x10-2 (1/100)
milli- = 1x (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 1x (1/1000)
micro- m mm 1x10-6 (1 millionth)
nano- n nm 1x10-9 (1 billionth)
pico- p pm 1x10-12 (1 trillionth)