Centimeters (cm)
A centimeter is a unit of length in the metric system equal to one-hundredth of a meter. It is used to measure small distances and dimensions precisely. The centimeter is defined as exactly 0.01 meters according to the International System of Units [bipm-si-brochure].
Origin
The centimeter was established during the creation of the metric system in France in 1795. It was adopted internationally as part of the SI base units to standardize length measurements for science, engineering, and daily use [bipm-si-brochure].
Worldwide Use
Centimeters are widely used globally for measuring body dimensions, furniture, and small objects. It is standard in education, manufacturing, and healthcare, especially in countries that use the metric system [nist-si-guide].
Common References
- A standard credit card is about 8.5 cm wide
- The average adult fingernail length is about 1 cm
- A pencil is typically around 19 cm long
- Height measurements in medical records often use centimeters
Centimeters → Meters1 cm = 0.01 mCentimeters → Kilometers1 cm = 0 kmCentimeters → Millimeters1 cm = 10 mmCentimeters → Micrometers1 cm = 10,000 µmCentimeters → Nanometers1 cm = 10,000,000 nmCentimeters → Miles1 cm = 0 miCentimeters → Yards1 cm = 0.0109 ydCentimeters → Feet1 cm = 0.0328 ftCentimeters → Inches1 cm = 0.3937 inCentimeters → Nautical Miles1 cm = 0 nmiCentimeters → Fathoms1 cm = 0.0055 ftmCentimeters → Furlongs1 cm = 0 furCentimeters → Light Years1 cm = 0 lyCentimeters → Astronomical Units1 cm = 0 auCentimeters → Parsecs1 cm = 0 pcCentimeters → Decimeters1 cm = 0.1 dmCentimeters → Hectometers1 cm = 0.0001 hmCentimeters → Megameters1 cm = 0 MmCentimeters → Gigameters1 cm = 0 GmCentimeters → Chains1 cm = 0.0005 chCentimeters → Rods1 cm = 0.002 rdCentimeters → Thou (Mils)1 cm = 393.7008 thCentimeters → Picometers1 cm = 10,000,000,000 pm