µm to mm?

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  1. kiaora's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Location: England
    • Posts: 815
    µm to mm?
    hey

    AQA A Biology: how do you convert µm to mm? this is specifically for questions which require you to work out the scale of drawings and magnifications.

    thanks.xx
  2. corkskrew's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Posts: 343
    µm are x10-6m
    mm are x10-4m

    So there are 100µm in 1mm. Therefore divide by 100 to go from µm to mm
  3. Golden Maverick's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    (Original post by corkskrew)
    µm are x10-6m
    mm are x10-4m

    So there are 100µm in 1mm. Therefore divide by 100 to go from µm to mm
    mm are x10-3m

    Making 1000µm in a mm.
  4. oxymoron's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    (Original post by corkskrew)
    µm are x10-6m
    mm are x10-4m

    So there are 100µm in 1mm. Therefore divide by 100 to go from µm to mm
    No ... 10^-3 mm in a metre .... so divide by 1000 not 100
  5. Talya's Avatar
    • TSR Legend
    lol

    You know, the conversions from mm, µm, etc are actually harder in biology than physics! I kid you not.

    Stupid, eh?

    -Kavanne
  6. OldakQuill's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Location: Bath
    Just remember - mille- means thousandth (like French).

    Oldak.
  7. DaveManUK's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    1e-6 -->> 1e-3
    multiply by 1000 not divide
  8. Golden Maverick's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    (Original post by DaveManUK)
    1e-6 -->> 1e-3
    multiply by 1000 not divide
    No,
    If I'm converting 100µm --> mm
    you divide by 1000, to give 0.1mm
  9. DaveManUK's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    i find it easier to work in standard form, same difference.
  10. theunforgiven's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Location: Bromley
    • Posts: 101
    hey then wht bout nm? coz there was this question in nm :
    find the magnification where the length of drawing is 4mm and the length of the specimen object is 1nm?
  11. snmichaels's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: London
    mm = 1.0 x 10-3m
    um = 1.0 x 10-6m
    nm = 1.0 x 10-9m

  12. corkskrew's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Posts: 343
    (Original post by corkskrew)
    µm are x10-6m
    mm are x10-4m

    So there are 100µm in 1mm. Therefore divide by 100 to go from µm to mm

    Apologies all. Friends 18th last night. Heavy head this morning. Won't happen again. Promise.
  13. oxymoron's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    (Original post by corkskrew)
    Apologies all. Friends 18th last night. Heavy head this morning. Won't happen again. Promise.
    Lol - everyone makes mistakes - don't worry about it. As long as you don't go out to a friend's 18th the night before an exam that is!
  14. wacko_demon's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: amman
    • Posts: 186
    ok guys just to clear things up a bit....

    how many nm would be in 4.2 mm
    and
    how many nm would be in 2.3um

    thanks in advance

    wacko_demon
  15. oxymoron's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    (Original post by wacko_demon)
    ok guys just to clear things up a bit....

    how many nm would be in 4.2 mm
    and
    how many nm would be in 2.3um

    thanks in advance

    wacko_demon
    4.2 mm = 4 200 000 nm

    2.3 um = 2300 nm
  16. wacko_demon's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: amman
    • Posts: 186
    can u please include working out ???

    wacko_demon
  17. snmichaels's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: London

    how many nm would be in 4.2 mm
    =
    4.2 x 106nm

    and

    how many nm would be in 2.3um =
    2.3 x 103nm

    You'r welcome
  18. oxymoron's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    (Original post by wacko_demon)
    can u please include working out ???

    wacko_demon
    Right

    units go: (biggest to smallest)

    metres
    mm
    um
    nm

    to move up by one of those units (ie move up the list), you divide by 1000 because the unit becomes bigger so you have less of them
    To move down the list, multiply by 1000 (smaller units - more of them)

    so 4.2 mm --> nm
    moving down by 2 units so multiply by 1000 twice

    gives you 4200 x 1000 = 4 200 000

    similarly 2.3 um ---> nm
    moving down by 1 unit so multiply by 1000

    gives you 2300 nm
  19. wacko_demon's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: amman
    • Posts: 186
    THANKS ALOT GUYS

    wacko_DEMON
  20. snmichaels's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: London
    Y m to Y mm = Y m x 1000 mm

    Y mm to Y um = Y mm x 1000 um

    Y mm to Y nm = Y mm x (1000 x 1000) nm

    Y nm to Y um = Ynm / 1000 um

    etc...
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