Understanding Nanometer: A Unit of Length

The question asks about the value of one nanometer in meters. A nanometer is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). It is based on the metric system, which uses prefixes to denote multiples or submultiples of a base unit.

The base unit of length in the SI system is the meter (m).

The prefix "nano" is used to indicate a submultiple of the base unit. Specifically, "nano" represents a factor of \(\text{10}^{-9}\).

Therefore, one nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter.

Mathematically, this relationship can be expressed as:

\(\text{1 nanometer (nm) = 1} \times \text{10}^{-9} \text{ meters (m)}\)

Let's look at the given options:

• Option 1: \(\text{10}^{-11}\) m
• Option 2: \(\text{10}^{-10}\) m
• Option 3: \(\text{10}^{-8}\) m
• Option 4: \(\text{10}^{-9}\) m

Comparing the definition of a nanometer with the options, we can see that option 4 correctly represents the value of one nanometer in meters.

Common Metric Prefixes and Their Values

It's helpful to know other common metric prefixes to understand different scales of measurement. Here is a table of some frequently used prefixes:

As shown in the table, the prefix "nano" corresponds to a factor of \(\text{10}^{-9}\).

Conclusion on Nanometer Value

Based on the definition of the prefix "nano" in the SI system, one nanometer is equal to \(\text{10}^{-9}\) meters. This is a fundamental conversion factor in physics and other sciences dealing with very small scales, often referred to as the nanoscale.

Revision Table: Understanding Units and Prefixes

Additional Information on Nanometers and Nanotechnology

The nanometer scale is particularly important in fields like nanotechnology, physics, chemistry, and biology because many fundamental phenomena and structures occur at this size range. For example:

• The diameter of a single atom is typically around 0.1 to 0.5 nanometers.
• The width of a DNA double helix is about 2 nanometers.
• Many viruses have sizes ranging from 20 to 400 nanometers.

Understanding the nanometer scale is crucial for studying and manipulating materials at the atomic and molecular level, which is the basis of nanotechnology.