Definition

A very small unit of length used to measure things like the wavelengths of light, equal to one ten-billionth of a meter or one hundred-millionth of a centimeter.

Example

The wavelength of visible light is typically measured in angstroms.

Conversation

Did you know that light wavelengths are often measured in angstrom?

Really? I had no idea it was such a small unit of measurement.

Yeah, an angstrom is one ten-billionth of a meter!

That’s mind-blowing! I guess it shows how precise science can be.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Angstrom is derived from the name of the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström, who contributed significantly to the field of spectroscopy. The term itself does not have a traditional Latin or Greek root but is a unit of measurement in the metric system, specifically equal to 10^-10 meters, used to measure very small distances, particularly in atomic and molecular scales.

Memory Tip

Think of Anders Jonas Ångström, the scientist after whom this tiny unit of measurement is named, to remember that an angstrom is a very small unit used to measure distances at the atomic level.

Visually Confused Words