Prefix...........
|
Exponent
|
Examples of exponential usage:
|
peta (P)
|
15
|
amount of CO2 in atmosphere (as C)- 750 Pg (or
Gt)
|
tera (T)
|
12
|
|
giga (G)
|
9
|
pool sizes: amount of water in ocean - 1.37 x 109
km3
|
mega (M)
|
6
|
rates: flow of Anatarctic Circumpolar Current - 200 x 106
m s-1
|
kilo (k)
|
3
|
distance New York - Albany ~ 350km
|
hecto (h)
|
2
|
atmospheric pressure: ~1012.5 hPa (=1012.5 mbar)
|
base unit
|
0
|
|
milli (m)
|
-3
|
typical amount of medicine ~1ml
|
micro (m)
|
-6
|
|
nano (n)
|
-9
|
wavelength of violet light ~400nm
|
pico (p)
|
-12
|
size of atom ~10pm
|
femto (f)
|
-15
|
detection limit of gas chromatographs for SF6 :
~1 fmole/L
|