What is a micron?
A micron, also known as a micrometer, is a unit of length commonly used in scientific and engineering fields. It is derived from the metric system and is equal to one millionth of a meter, or 0.000001 meters. The symbol for micron is μm, which is a lowercase Greek letter mu followed by the letter "m".
The use of microns allows for precise and accurate measurements in various scientific and industrial applications. It provides a more detailed and standardized way to describe small distances or dimensions, especially when dealing with objects on a microscopic scale. Understanding the concept of a micron is essential for scientists, engineers, and technicians who work with minute measurements and need to convert between different units of length.
What is a millimeter?
A millimeter is a thousandth of a meter (1/1000) which is the SI (International System of Units) unit of length. It is normally used to measure small lengths like the thickness of a sheet of paper or the dimensions of a small object.
One millimeter is approximately equal to 0.03937 inches (about 1/25th). Presicely there are 25.4 millimeters in an inch and it is often used in science and engineering. It is used in countries that have adopted the metric system.
You may come across millimeters when measuring the size of electronic components, jewelry or even the thickness of a fingernail.