Understanding Angstroms: A Guide to Measuring Length in Physics and Chemistry

Angstroms (Å) are a unit of length used in physics and chemistry to measure the wavelength of light and the size of atoms and molecules. One angstrom is equal to 0.1 nanometers (nm), or 100 picometers (pm).

The unit was named after the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström, who used it to measure the wavelength of light in his experiments. Angstroms are commonly used in spectroscopy and other scientific fields where the size of particles and waves is measured.

For example, the wavelength of visible light is typically around 400-700 angstroms, while the size of a typical atom is around 1-2 angstroms. The size of molecules can range from a few to several thousand angstroms, depending on their complexity and structure.