What Is meter?
A meter is a unit people use to measure how long or how far something is. It is part of the metric system, which many countries use for most measurements. One meter is a bit longer than one yard.
Definition
A meter is the main unit of length in the International System of Units, also called SI. Today, scientists define a meter using the speed of light. In simple words, a meter is the distance that light travels in a very tiny amount of time in empty space.
For everyday life, you can remember these simple facts:
- 1 meter equals 100 centimeters
- 1 meter equals 1000 millimeters
- 1 meter is about 3.28 feet
- 1 meter is a little longer than 1 yard
History / Origin
The idea of the meter started in France in the late 1700s. At that time, different places used many different length units, which made trade and science hard. French scientists wanted one clear unit that anyone could use in any country.
Early on, they tried to base the meter on Earth itself. They said one meter should be a certain part of the distance from the North Pole to the equator. Later, they made a special metal bar to show the exact length of one meter.
In the 1900s, scientists made better and better ways to define the meter using light and physics. This helped make the meter very exact, so people all over the world could measure in the same way.
Symbol & Abbreviation
The official symbol for meter is m.
- 1 meter is written as 1 m
- 5 meters is written as 5 m
The word can be spelled in two main ways in English:
- meter in American English
- metre in British and many other types of English
Both spellings mean the same thing. The symbol m is the same in every country.
Current Use Around the World
The meter is used almost everywhere in the world for measuring length and distance. It is common in:
- Science and engineering
- Building and construction
- Maps and travel distances
- Sports, like running races on a track
- Everyday life, like your height or the size of a room
Most countries use meters and other metric units as their main system. Even in places that still use feet and inches in daily life, like the United States, scientists and many jobs still use meters.
Example Conversions
Here are some helpful conversions between meters and other units:
- 1 meter equals 100 centimeters
- 1 meter equals 1000 millimeters
- 0.01 meter equals 1 centimeter
- 0.001 meter equals 1 millimeter
- 1 meter is about 3.28 feet
- 1 meter is about 39.37 inches
- 1 meter is about 1.09 yards
- 1000 meters equals 1 kilometer
- 1 kilometer equals 1000 meters
Some real life examples:
- A tall door might be about 2 m high
- A school classroom might be about 8 m long
- A running track race could be 100 m or 400 m
- A soccer field is often around 100 m long
Related Units
Other length units that are based on the meter or often used with it include:
- Millimeter (mm) very small unit. 1000 mm equals 1 m
- Centimeter (cm) small unit. 100 cm equals 1 m
- Kilometer (km) large unit for long distances. 1000 m equals 1 km
- Micrometer (µm) tiny unit for things like cells. 1 000 000 µm equals 1 m
- Nanometer (nm) even smaller unit for atoms and light. 1 000 000 000 nm equals 1 m
Non metric length units that are often compared with meters include:
- Inch 1 inch is about 0.0254 m
- Foot 1 foot is about 0.3048 m
- Yard 1 yard is about 0.9144 m
- Mile 1 mile is about 1609 m
FAQs
Is it meter or metre?
Both spellings are correct. Meter is used in American English. Metre is used in British English and many other countries. The symbol m is the same everywhere.
What is longer a meter or a yard?
A meter is a little longer than a yard. One meter is about 1.09 yards.
How many centimeters are in a meter?
There are 100 centimeters in 1 meter.
How many meters are in a kilometer?
There are 1000 meters in 1 kilometer.
What do we use meters for?
We use meters to measure the length, height, or width of things. For example rooms, buildings, roads, sports fields, and people can all be measured in meters.
Why do scientists like using meters?
Scientists like meters because the metric system is simple, based on tens, and used worldwide. This makes it easy to share and compare measurements from different countries.
Can meters be used for very small distances?
For very small distances, people usually use millimeters, micrometers, or nanometers. These units are all based on the meter, so they are easy to convert.
Can meters be used for very large distances?
For very large distances on Earth, people often use kilometers, which are based on meters. For space distances, scientists use even larger units, like light years, but they can still be written in meters if needed.