Difference between revisions of "Angstrom"
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*[http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/universe/angstrom.html What Is an Angstrom?] - NASA | *[http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/universe/angstrom.html What Is an Angstrom?] - NASA | ||
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Revision as of 20:23, April 3, 2008
An angstrom (symbol Å) is a unit of length equivalent to one ten-billionth of a meter (1×10−10 m). Unit is named after Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström.
Electromagnetic radiation travels in waves. Scientists use the length of the wave (the distance between peaks) to define the energy of the radiation. Astronomers measure this length in "angstroms," a unit of measure equal to 1 hundred-millionth of a centimeter. It's a convenient shorthand to avoid writing lots of zeroes when talking about the wavelengths of light. In everyday terms, a sheet of paper is approximately 1,000,000 angstroms thick. Visible light covers the range from 4,000 to 8,000 angstroms. [1]
External links
- What Is an Angstrom? - NASA