In unit prefixes used across engineering and physics, the thickness called a 'micron' (micrometre) corresponds to which length in metres?

Introduction / Context:
Engineers often encounter micro-scale dimensions in materials science, manufacturing tolerances, filtration, and biology. The term 'micron' is a common, older name for the micrometre, a standard S.I. submultiple of the metre that simplifies expression of very small lengths.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We must map 'micron' to a power-of-ten metre length.
• Common small-scale prefixes: milli (10^-3), micro (10^-6), nano (10^-9), pico (10^-12).
• Spelling note: micrometre (µm) is the S.I. term; micron is non-S.I. but widely used.

Concept / Approach:

Recall S.I. prefixes: micro (symbol µ) denotes 10^-6. Therefore, 1 micrometre = 1 µm = 10^-6 m. Many industrial specifications and scientific instruments reference µm for film thickness, surface roughness, and particle sizes.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Cross-check common conversions: 1000 µm = 1 mm, since 10^-6 m * 1000 = 10^-3 m. This aligns with milli (10^-3), verifying internal consistency.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 10^-3 m: milli (mm), not micro.
• 10^-9 m: nano (nm).
• 10^-12 m: pico (pm).
• 10^-2 m: centi (cm) scale, far larger.

Common Pitfalls:

• Writing 'micron' but using mm or nm values in calculations.
• Confusing micro (µ) with milli (m) in unit symbols, which can cause 1000× errors.

Final Answer:

10^-6 m