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Mobile App Chapter 1: Problem 39
Give the name of the prefix and the quantity indicated by the following symbols that are used with SI base units. (a) c (b) d (c) G (d) k (e) m (f) n (g) p (h) T
Short Answer
Expert verified
The prefixes are: (a) centi, 10^-2; (b) deci, 10^-1; (c) giga, 10^9; (d) kilo, 10^3; (e) milli, 10^-3; (f) nano, 10^-9; (g) pico, 10^-12; (h) tera, 10^12.
Step by step solution
01
Identify 'c' Prefix
The prefix 'c' stands for 'centi-' in the International System of Units (SI), which indicates a factor of 10^-2 or one hundredth.
02
Identify 'd' Prefix
The prefix 'd' stands for 'deci-' in the SI units, representing a factor of 10^-1 or one tenth.
03
Identify 'G' Prefix
The prefix 'G' stands for 'giga-' in SI units, denoting a factor of 10^9 or one billion.
04
Identify 'k' Prefix
The prefix 'k' stands for 'kilo-' in the SI units, which indicates a factor of 10^3 or one thousand.
05
Identify 'm' Prefix
The prefix 'm' represents 'milli-' in the SI units, corresponding to a factor of 10^-3 or one thousandth.
06
Identify 'n' Prefix
The prefix 'n' stands for 'nano-' in the SI units, which signifies a factor of 10^-9 or one billionth.
07
Identify 'p' Prefix
The prefix 'p' represents 'pico-' in the SI units and indicates a quantity of 10^-12 or one trillionth.
08
Identify 'T' Prefix
The prefix 'T' stands for 'tera-' in the SI units, denoting a factor of 10^12 or one trillion.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Understanding SI Unit Prefixes
SI unit prefixes are essential components of measurement in science and many aspects of everyday life. They provide a way to denote the magnitude of a particular unit, making it easier to understand large and small values without having to count zeros. Let's explore the meaning and application of each prefix in detail.
Understanding these prefixes is not just about memorization; it's about recognizing the scale of what is being measured and being able to compare different magnitudes with ease. This can be particularly important in fields such as physics, chemistry, and engineering, where precise measurements are crucial.
Understanding these prefixes is not just about memorization; it's about recognizing the scale of what is being measured and being able to compare different magnitudes with ease. This can be particularly important in fields such as physics, chemistry, and engineering, where precise measurements are crucial.
Centi-
The prefix 'centi-' is derived from the Latin word 'centum', meaning one hundred. In the International System of Units (SI), 'centi-' denotes a hundredth (\(10^{-2}\) or \frac{1}{100}\text{). For instance, a centimeter (cm) is one hundredth of a meter. The prefix is mainly used for linear measurement and is easily visualized in everyday life, such as on a ruler, where each centimeter is indicated.}
Centi- helps us measure smaller objects like the width of a phone or the thickness of a notebook.
Centi- helps us measure smaller objects like the width of a phone or the thickness of a notebook.
Deci-
The prefix 'deci-' originates from the Latin 'decimus', meaning tenth. It is used in SI to represent one tenth (\(10^{-1}\) or \frac{1}{10}\text{). A common example is a deciliter (dL), which is one tenth of a liter.}
Deci- is not as frequently used as other metric prefixes, but it serves as a bridge for understanding the scale between the base unit and its lower multiples and submultiples.
Deci- is not as frequently used as other metric prefixes, but it serves as a bridge for understanding the scale between the base unit and its lower multiples and submultiples.
Giga-
Giga- comes from the Greek word 'gigas', which means giant. True to its roots, 'giga-' represents a tremendously large scale, indicating a billion (\(10^9\) or 1,000,000,000). One gigabyte (GB) of memory in a computer is actually one billion bytes.
Given the exponential growth in data and technology, 'giga-' is increasingly common in the context of computing and digital information storage.
Given the exponential growth in data and technology, 'giga-' is increasingly common in the context of computing and digital information storage.
Kilo-
The prefix 'kilo-' is often one of the first metric prefixes people learn. It originates from the Greek word 'chilioi', meaning a thousand. In SI units, it is used to denote a factor of a thousand (\(10^3\) or 1,000), such as a kilogram (kg), which is a thousand grams.
Everyday references to 'kilo-' include kilometer to measure distances and kilograms for body weight. It's a core prefix when it comes to larger yet still comprehensible quantities.
Everyday references to 'kilo-' include kilometer to measure distances and kilograms for body weight. It's a core prefix when it comes to larger yet still comprehensible quantities.
Milli-
'Milli-' is taken from the Latin word 'mille', meaning one thousand. However, in the SI system, 'milli-' is used to indicated one thousandth (\(10^{-3}\) or \frac{1}{1,000}\text{). For example, a milligram (mg) is one thousandth of a gram.}
Milli- is widely used in various scientific measurements, like the volume of liquid in a milliliter (mL) or the length of an object in millimeters (mm).
Milli- is widely used in various scientific measurements, like the volume of liquid in a milliliter (mL) or the length of an object in millimeters (mm).
Nano-
'Nano-' is derived from the Greek word 'nanos', meaning dwarf. In the SI system, it represents one billionth (\(10^{-9}\) or \frac{1}{1,000,000,000}\text{). Nanotechnology operates at scales as tiny as a nanometer (nm), which is one billionth of a meter.}
Nano- is essential in fields like quantum physics, chemistry, and biology, where researchers deal with atoms and molecules that are on the scale of nanometers.
Nano- is essential in fields like quantum physics, chemistry, and biology, where researchers deal with atoms and molecules that are on the scale of nanometers.
Pico-
The prefix 'pico-' is of Spanish origin, meaning 'small quantity', and in SI terms, it specifically refers to one trillionth (\(10^{-12}\) or \frac{1}{1,000,000,000,000}\text{). An example is the picofarad (pF), a unit for measuring electrical capacitance.}
This prefix is less common in daily life but is critical in electronics, physics, and precise scientific measurements.
This prefix is less common in daily life but is critical in electronics, physics, and precise scientific measurements.
Tera-
Finally, 'tera-' is taken from the Greek word 'teras', conveying the meaning of a monster or a marvel. It signifies one trillion (\(10^{12}\) or 1,000,000,000,000). A terabyte (TB) is a common term for representing a large amount of data storage.
As we become more data-centric in our society, 'tera-' is becoming more mainstream, particularly in computing and information technology.
As we become more data-centric in our society, 'tera-' is becoming more mainstream, particularly in computing and information technology.
