In the realm of electronics and time measurements, you encounter terms like milli, micro, nano, and pico quite often. But what do they actually signify?

This blog post aims to provide a convenient reference to understand the meaning of each of these terms.

Let’s dive right in:

  • Milli: Represented as 10^-3 or 0.001, milli serves as a prefix indicating one thousandth of a unit.

  • Micro: Denoted as 10^-6 or 0.000001, micro signifies one millionth of a unit.

  • Nano: Indicated as 10^-9 or 0.000000001, nano stands for one billionth of a unit.

  • Pico: Represented as 10^-12 or 0.000000000001, pico represents one trillionth of a unit.

To help you remember the order and magnitude of these terms, consider the mnemonic “milli-micro-nano-pico.” Repeating this sequence a few times will solidify your recollection, making it easier to recall the meaning of each term next time you come across them.

Tags: electronics, time measurements, milli, micro, nano, pico