Fill in the following blanks.
a. 1 μm = __ m
b. 1= _ 10⁻⁹ m
c. 1 μm = ____ nm

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the metric prefixes involved: 'μm' stands for micrometer, which is 10⁻⁶ meters, and 'nm' stands for nanometer, which is 10⁻⁹ meters.

For part (a), convert 1 micrometer (μm) to meters (m) using the definition: 1 μm = 1 × 10⁻⁶ m.

For part (b), recognize that the blank is asking for the number that equals 1 in terms of 10⁻⁹ meters, which corresponds to 1 nanometer (nm). So, 1 nm = 1 × 10⁻⁹ m.

For part (c), convert 1 micrometer (μm) to nanometers (nm) by using the relationship between meters and nanometers: since 1 nm = 10⁻⁹ m and 1 μm = 10⁻⁶ m, calculate how many nanometers are in 1 micrometer by dividing 10⁻⁶ m by 10⁻⁹ m.

Express the final answers clearly by substituting the numerical values into the blanks, ensuring the units are consistent and correctly represented.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.

Video duration:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Metric Unit Prefixes

Metric prefixes denote specific powers of ten used to express measurements. For example, 'micro-' (μ) means 10⁻⁶, and 'nano-' (n) means 10⁻⁹. Understanding these prefixes helps convert between units like meters, micrometers, and nanometers.

Unit Conversion

Unit conversion involves changing a measurement from one unit to another using multiplication or division by powers of ten. This is essential in microbiology to express sizes of microorganisms accurately, such as converting micrometers to meters or nanometers.

Scientific Notation

Scientific notation expresses very large or small numbers compactly using powers of ten. It simplifies calculations and comparisons in microbiology, especially when dealing with microscopic scales like 10⁻⁶ m or 10⁻⁹ m.

Recommended video:

Guided course