What does picometer mean?
A picometre is a metric unit of length equal to one trillionth of a metre, written 10^-12 m and abbreviated pm. It is used in scientific contexts where dimensions at the scale of atoms, molecules, chemical bonds, and microscopic structures must be measured. The unit appears in chemistry, physics, materials science, nanotechnology, and structural biology. For example, a typical chemical bond may extend over tens or hundreds of picometres, while individual atoms have diameters of roughly a few tenths of a picometre to several picometres. The British spelling is picometre and the US spelling is picometer; both use the symbol pm. Although the word is chiefly technical, it is useful as a precise expression of extremely small length and as a reminder that scientific prefixes can make metric measurements span an enormous range of scales.
nounA unit of length equal to one trillionth of a metre, or 10^-12 metres. The picometre is used especially in nanotechnology, chemistry, and the measurement of atomic and molecular dimensions.
- A metric unit of length equal to 10^-12 metres.
"The distance between two atoms in the crystal lattice was measured in picometres."
"The new imaging technique can resolve features only a few picometres across."
"Bond lengths in the molecule were reported as approximately 150 picometres."
One picometre is one trillionth of a metre, putting this tiny unit at the scale of atoms and molecules.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of picometer
The word combines the International System of Units prefix pico-, denoting 10^-12, with metre, the metric unit of length. Metre comes through French from Greek metron, meaning “measure.” The picometre is therefore a metric length unit equal to 10^-12 metres, while related pico- units apply the same numerical factor to other quantities, such as the picosecond and picowatt.
How picometer is actually used
The symbol is pm, without a period. The spelling picometre is standard in British English, while picometer is standard in US English.