Question

What is the value of 1 nano in m?
A. ${{10}^{-3}}$
B. ${{10}^{-6}}$
C. ${{10}^{15}}$
D. ${{10}^{-9}}$

Answer 1

Hint: First, find out what is nano. Find the conversion factor for converting unit nano into the meter and vice versa. Also, find a conversion factor for converting nano into other equivalent units. To get an idea about the size of this unit find out the situation where it is used.

Complete answer:
The S.I. unit of length is meter. Nano is also referred to as a nanometer.
one billionth of a meter is known\[1\text{ N}ano\], therefore,
\[1\text{ N}ano\text{ }={{10}^{-9}}~meter\]
\[Thus,\text{ }1\text{ N}ano\text{ }={{10}^{-9}}~meter\]
We can also write,
\[1\text{ }meter\text{=}{{10}^{9}}Nano\]

Additional information:
Conversion of nano into other units:
$\begin{align}
  & 1\text{ N}ano\text{ }={{10}^{-7}}~centimeter \\
  & 1\text{ N}ano\text{ }={{10}^{-6}}~millimeter \\
  & 1\text{ N}ano\text{ }=~{{10}^{-3}}micrometer \\
  & 1\text{ N}ano\text{ }={{10}^{3}}~picometer \\
\end{align}$

A nanometer is used to measure things that are very small. Atoms and molecules, the smallest pieces of everything around us, are measured in nanometers. For example a water molecule is less than one nanometer.

Note:
No need to remember all the conversion factors for converting nano into other units. Just remember one relation and others can be derived easily from this relation. Do not get confused between the sign of the conversion factor while converting nano into m and vice versa. Since nano is a smaller unit, converting into meter power of conversion factor must be negative.