What unit is used to measure the wavelength of light?

What unit is used to measure the wavelength of light?

• A. Angstrom
• B. Nanometer
• C. Meter
• D. Kilometer

Answer: (A)

Wavelengths of light sit in a very small length scale, so we use units like nanometers or angstroms. An angstrom is 0.1 nanometer (10^-10 meters), which makes it a convenient scale for typical visible-light wavelengths that run around 400–700 nanometers, or about 4000–7000 angstroms. While nanometers are widely used today, the angstrom is still common in fields like spectroscopy and crystallography for describing these wavelengths. Meters or kilometers are far too large for light wavelengths, and although nanometers are a valid unit, the option that matches the traditional scale for these wavelengths in this context is the angstrom.

Wavelengths of light sit in a very small length scale, so we use units like nanometers or angstroms. An angstrom is 0.1 nanometer (10^-10 meters), which makes it a convenient scale for typical visible-light wavelengths that run around 400–700 nanometers, or about 4000–7000 angstroms. While nanometers are widely used today, the angstrom is still common in fields like spectroscopy and crystallography for describing these wavelengths. Meters or kilometers are far too large for light wavelengths, and although nanometers are a valid unit, the option that matches the traditional scale for these wavelengths in this context is the angstrom.