Skip to content
EvidenceHelixEvidenceLib · Scientific Encyclopedia
⌘ K

Scientific library

EvidenceLib encyclopediaAll articles A–Z2,100Open textbooks35Open-access articles1,010Cancer study catalog458How it is made

My workspace this browser

Saved pages0Notes & annotations0

Recently viewed

Explore by field

Cancer and Oncology182Genetics and Genomics170Neuroscience185Cardiovascular Medicine180Immunology162Pharmacology174Molecular Biology161Infectious Diseases150Rare and Inherited Diseases181Clinical Research173Anatomy and Physiology617Drugs and Chemicals621Psychiatry and Psychology75Public Health and Nutrition64Diagnostics and Medical Technology15
Plans & pricingCompare EvidenceHelix workspace plans
Library›Open textbooks›Biology 2e›Measurements and the Metric System

Continue where you left off ()

Explore more with EvidenceHelix Workspace

Compare studies, analyze evidence and create research reports with premium tools.

Explore Researcher plans

Biology 2e · Front matter

Measurements and the Metric System

CC BY 4.0 · OpenStax · approximately 1 min read

Learning objectives

Measurements and the Metric System
Measurement Unit Abbreviation Metric Equivalent Approximate Standard Equivalent
Length nanometer nm 1 nm = 10−9 m
  • 1 mm = 0.039 inch
  • 1 cm = 0.394 inch
  • 1 m = 39.37 inches
  • 1 m = 3.28 feet
  • 1 m = 1.093 yards
  • 1 km = 0.621 miles
micrometer µm 1 µm = 10−6 m
millimeter mm 1 mm = 0.001 m
centimeter cm 1 cm = 0.01 m
meter m
  • 1 m = 100 cm
  • 1 m = 1000 mm
kilometer km 1 km = 1000 m
Mass microgram µg 1 µg = 10−6 g
  • 1 g = 0.035 ounce
  • 1 kg = 2.205 pounds
milligram mg 1 mg = 10−3 g
gram g 1 g = 1000 mg
kilogram kg 1 kg = 1000 g
Volume microliter µl 1 µl = 10−6 l
  • 1 ml = 0.034 fluid ounce
  • 1 l = 1.057 quarts
  • 1 kl = 264.172 gallons
milliliter ml 1 ml = 10−3 l
liter l 1 l = 1000 ml
kiloliter kl 1 kl = 1000 l
Area square centimeter cm2 1 cm2 = 100 mm2
  • 1 cm2 = 0.155 square inch
  • 1 m2 = 10.764 square feet
  • 1 m2 = 1.196 square yards
  • 1 ha = 2.471 acres
square meter m2 1 m2 = 10,000 cm2
hectare ha 1 ha = 10,000 m2
Temperature Celsius °C — 1 °C = 5/9 × (°F − 32)
← Preserving Biodiversity

Attribution. Biology 2e, OpenStax, Rice University, and the contributing authors credited in the book. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. Source revision d2779c2edf of openstax/osbooks-biology-bundle (2026-02-03). CC BY 4.0. Original source ↗. Text edition of a pinned CC BY 4.0 source revision of the OpenStax book, converted from CNXML by the EvidenceHelix importer. Original prose, learning objectives, tables, exercises, glossary and captions are preserved; images are not copied (figures link to the original source and keep their credits). No new content was added. Later revisions of this book can carry different licence terms and are not used.

In this chapter Contents

  • Preface
  • Measurements and the Metric System

Source

OpenStax source file ↗

Illustrated original ↗

EvidenceLib is a research-education resource, not medical advice. It does not diagnose, prescribe or recommend starting, stopping or changing any treatment. Talk to a qualified clinician about your own situation. Methods, sources and licences · Rights and removal requests · Legal · Support