angström

The angstrom is a unit of length equal to one ten-billionth of a meter. It is most commonly used for measuring atomic and molecular dimensions, wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, and interatomic distances in solids. The symbol for the angstrom is Å. It is named after the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström, who was a pioneer in spectroscopy. While not a standard unit in the International System of Units (SI), the angstrom is still widely used in scientific literature, particularly in fields like solid-state physics, chemistry, and astronomy. Its practical utility lies in its convenient scale for atomic-level phenomena. For instance, the diameter of a typical atom is on the order of 1 angstrom, and the wavelength of visible light ranges from about 4000 to 7000 angstroms. The angstrom is equivalent to 100 picometers or 0.1 nanometers. In SI units, one angstrom is precisely equal to 10⁻¹⁰ meters.