Picometer to Centimeter Converter

Convert pm to cm with precision and ease

Picometers (pm)

Centimeters (cm)

Decimal Precision

Conversion Mode

Conversion Formula

Picometers to Centimeters

1 pm = 1 × 10^-10 cm

To convert picometers to centimeters, multiply the picometer value by 0.0000000001 (or 1 × 10^-10).

Centimeters to Picometers

1 cm = 10,000,000,000 pm

To convert centimeters to picometers, multiply the centimeter value by 10,000,000,000 (or 1 × 10¹⁰).

Conversion Steps

Converting Picometers to Centimeters

Take the value in picometers that you wish to convert
Multiply this value by 0.0000000001 (1 × 10^-10)
The result is your value in centimeters
Example: 50,000 pm × 0.0000000001 = 0.000005 cm

Converting Centimeters to Picometers

Take the value in centimeters that you wish to convert
Multiply this value by 10,000,000,000 (1 × 10¹⁰)
The result is your value in picometers
Example: 0.5 cm × 10,000,000,000 = 5,000,000,000 pm

Common Conversions

Picometers (pm)	Centimeters (cm)
1 pm	1 × 10^-10 cm
10 pm	1 × 10^-9 cm
100 pm	1 × 10^-8 cm
1,000 pm	1 × 10^-7 cm
10,000 pm	0.000001 cm
100,000 pm	0.00001 cm
1,000,000 pm	0.0001 cm
10,000,000 pm	0.001 cm
100,000,000 pm	0.01 cm
1,000,000,000 pm	0.1 cm

Centimeters (cm)	Picometers (pm)
0.0001 cm	1,000,000 pm
0.001 cm	10,000,000 pm
0.01 cm	100,000,000 pm
0.1 cm	1,000,000,000 pm
1 cm	10,000,000,000 pm
2 cm	20,000,000,000 pm
5 cm	50,000,000,000 pm
10 cm	100,000,000,000 pm
50 cm	500,000,000,000 pm
100 cm	1,000,000,000,000 pm

About These Units

What is a Picometer?

A picometer (pm) is an extraordinarily small unit of length in the metric system, equal to one trillionth of a metre (1 × 10^-12 m). The prefix “pico” derives from the Spanish word “pico”, meaning peak or small amount. Picometers are primarily employed in atomic and molecular physics, chemistry, and nanotechnology where measurements at the atomic scale are required. The typical atomic radius ranges from 30 to 300 picometers, making this unit ideal for describing atomic dimensions and chemical bond lengths.

What is a Centimeter?

A centimeter (cm) is a unit of length in the metric system equal to one hundredth of a metre (0.01 m). The prefix “centi” means one hundredth. Centimeters are widely employed for everyday measurements, particularly in countries that have adopted the metric system. This unit is commonly seen on rulers, measuring tapes, and in various fields including tailoring, carpentry, and general construction. One centimeter equals 10 millimetres or approximately 0.39 inches.

Scale Perspective

How Small is a Picometer?

1 centimeter = 10,000,000,000 picometers (ten billion picometers)

Hydrogen atom diameter ≈ 100 picometers

Carbon-carbon bond length ≈ 154 picometers

Human hair width ≈ 1,000,000,000,000 picometers (1 trillion pm)

Applications in Science

Atomic Physics

Picometers serve as the standard unit for expressing atomic radii and the distances between atoms in molecules. For instance, the radius of a hydrogen atom is approximately 53 picometers, whilst larger atoms like caesium have radii around 265 picometers. These measurements are fundamental to atomic theory and quantum mechanics.

Chemistry and Molecular Structure

Chemical bond lengths are routinely measured in picometers. A typical carbon-carbon single bond measures about 154 pm, a carbon-carbon double bond approximately 134 pm, and a carbon-carbon triple bond roughly 120 pm. These precise measurements are crucial for molecular modelling, crystallography, and predicting chemical reactivity.

Nanotechnology

In nanotechnology research, picometers are essential for characterising nanomaterials and nanostructures. Scientists manipulate matter at the atomic level, where positioning accuracy of even a few picometers can significantly affect material properties. Scanning tunnelling microscopes and atomic force microscopes can achieve resolution at the picometer scale.

Crystallography

X-ray crystallography, which determines the atomic and molecular structure of crystals, reports interatomic distances in picometers. This technique has been instrumental in determining the structures of proteins, DNA, and countless other molecules, with measurements precise to within a few picometers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many picometers are in one centimeter?

One centimeter contains exactly 10,000,000,000 (ten billion) picometers. This relationship stems from the fact that a picometer is 1 × 10^-10 cm, or one ten-billionth of a centimeter.

When should I use picometers instead of centimeters?

Picometers are appropriate when measuring atomic-scale distances, such as atomic radii, bond lengths, or wavelengths of gamma rays. Centimeters are more suitable for everyday measurements like the dimensions of objects visible to the naked eye. If your value would require many zeros after the decimal point in centimeters, picometers may be more convenient.

What is the relationship between picometers and nanometers?

One nanometer equals 1,000 picometers. Nanometers are often used for slightly larger structures like viruses and large molecules, whilst picometers are reserved for atomic-scale measurements. Both units are common in nanotechnology and materials science.

Can the human eye see anything measured in picometers?

No, objects measured in picometers are far too small to be seen with the naked eye or even with optical microscopes. Atoms and molecules, which are measured in picometers, can only be “seen” with specialised instruments like electron microscopes or scanning probe microscopes.

Why do scientists use such small units?

Scientists use picometers because they provide convenient, whole numbers when describing atomic-scale phenomena. Rather than writing 0.000000000154 cm for a carbon-carbon bond, they can simply write 154 pm. This makes scientific communication clearer and reduces the risk of errors in calculations.

How precise are picometer measurements?

Modern instruments can achieve remarkable precision at the picometer scale. Advanced scanning tunnelling microscopes and atomic force microscopes can resolve features with sub-picometer precision. X-ray crystallography routinely determines atomic positions with an accuracy of a few picometers, which is essential for understanding molecular structure and function.

Is there a unit smaller than a picometer?

Yes, there are smaller metric units. A femtometer (fm) is 1,000 times smaller than a picometer and is used to measure nuclear dimensions. Even smaller units include attometers (am) and zeptometers (zm), though these are rarely used outside of theoretical physics.