μm

What is a Micrometer?

Length Unit

Definition

A micrometer (also called micron) is a unit of length equal to one-millionth of a meter (0.000001 m) or one-thousandth of a millimeter.

History

The term 'micron' was officially revoked by the International System of Units in 1967, preferring 'micrometer', though 'micron' is still commonly used in industry.

Common Uses

  • Semiconductor and microchip manufacturing
  • Bacteria and cell measurements
  • Filter pore sizes
  • Precision engineering

Fun Facts

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A human red blood cell is about 7 micrometers in diameter

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A strand of spider silk is about 3-8 micrometers thick

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Modern computer chips have features as small as 5 nanometers

All Micrometer Conversions