How long is a nanometer?

A nanometer is a unit of measurement that equates to one billionth of a meter. This measurement is often used in fields like physics, chemistry, and biology to describe extremely small structures, such as atoms and molecules, as well as wavelengths of light. To put this into perspective, a nanometer is 10^-9 meters, meaning it is a very tiny fraction of a meter, highlighting the scale on which nanoscale science operates. The distinction between a nanometer and other units like micrometers or millimeters is crucial for understanding phenomena at the atomic and molecular levels.