## Converting to Different Units

$c=\lambda v$

Ryan Neis 2L
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:04 am

### Converting to Different Units

When problems, such as Question 1.7 (b), ask for an answer in specific units (in this case wavelength in picometers) will we have to memorize the various numbers needed to convert to different types of units, such as micro-, nano-, giga-, mega-, etc., or will that information be provided for us in test problems?

Christy Lee 2H
Posts: 73
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:07 am
Been upvoted: 1 time

### Re: Converting to Different Units

We will need to know what the prefixes mean so we can convert between them, like knowing that 10^12 picometers are in one meter. These conversions will not be given, so we have to remember what each prefix means. Hope this helps!

Cooper1C
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:07 am

### Re: Converting to Different Units

In case you do not have them on hand, the prefixes are:

centi 10^-2
mili 10^-3
micro 10^-6
nano 10^-9

An easy way to remember the prefixes is that they decrease by three powers every "step," with the exclusion of centi (which you can remember by centipede or centimeter, although I do not believe centipedes actually have 100 legs).

Elizabeth Bamishaye 2I
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:04 am

### Re: Converting to Different Units

Mr. Lavelle mentioned that we do need to know them, but I feel like the most important are from kilo to pico. The bolded ones are the ones that I have tended to see more often by the problems we have done so far.

Prefixes and their meaning:
Giga 10^9
Mega 10^6
_______________________
Kilo 10^3
Deci 10^-1
Centi 10^-2
Milli 10^-3
Micro 10^-6
Nano 10^-9
Pico 10^-12