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A metric prefix is a unit prefix that precedes a basic unit of measure to indicate a multiple or submultiple of the unit. All metric prefixes used today are decadic. Each prefix has a unique symbol that is prepended to any unit symbol. The prefix kilo-, for example, may be added to gram to indicate multiplication by one thousand: one kilogram ...
Here the metric prefix 'kilo-' (symbol 'k') stands for a factor of 1000; thus, 1 km = 1000 m. The current version of the SI provides twenty-four metric prefixes that signify decimal powers ranging from 10 −30 to 10 30, the most recent being adopted in 2022.
The metric system is a decimal -based system of measurement. The current international standard for the metric system is the International System of Units (Système international d'unités or SI), in which all units can be expressed in terms of seven base units: the metre (m), kilogram (kg), second (s), ampere (A), kelvin (K), mole (mol), and ...
The kilogram (kg) is the unit of mass. The ampere (A) is the unit of electric current. The kelvin (K) is the unit of thermodynamic temperature. The mole (mol) is the unit of amount of substance. The candela (cd) is the unit of luminous intensity. The SI also defines 22 derived units and associated symbols:
The tonne (t) is an SI-compatible unit of mass equal to a megagram ( Mg ), or 10 3 kg. The unit is in common use for masses above about 10 3 kg and is often used with SI prefixes. For example, a gigagram ( Gg) or 10 9 g is 10 3 tonnes, commonly called a kilotonne .
The prefixes myria-, [2] [3] [4] (from the Greek μύριοι, mýrioi), double-and demi-, denoting factors of 10 000, 2 and 1 ⁄ 2 respectively, [5] were parts of the original metric system adopted in France in 1795, but they were not retained when the SI prefixes were agreed internationally by the 11th CGPM conference in 1960.
The current international standard for the metric system is the International System of Units (Système international d'unités or SI). It is a system in which all units can be expressed in terms of seven units. The units that serve as the SI base units are the metre, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, mole, and candela.
A number of different units (some only of historical interest) are shown and expressed in terms of the corresponding SI unit. Conversions between units in the metric system are defined by their prefixes (for example, 1 kilogram = 1000 grams, 1 milligram = 0.001 grams) and are thus not listed in this article.