Home ❯ All Definitions ❯ Unit ❯ Yocto (y) Unit Definition
Yocto (y) Unit Definition
Yocto is a SI unit prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of 10-24 or 0.000000000000000000000001. It is represented by the prefix yocto or the symbol y.
Overview
It was adopted in 1991 by the General Conference on Weights and Measures. It comes from the Latin and Greek term octo (οκτώ), meaning eight, because it is equal to 1000-8. Yocto is the smallest official SI prefix.
Examples
It can be used to state a subatomic particle's mass with the yoctogram (yg), for instance:
Rest mass of electron: 0.000911 yg
Rest mass of proton: 1.6726 yg
Rest mass of neutron: 1.6749 yg
Atomic mass unit: 1.6605 yg
SI Prefixes
Here is a table of the SI prefixes and some of their properties:
Name & Symbol |
Base 10 |
Decimal |
English Word |
Adoption |
|
Short Scale |
Long Scale |
||||
Quetta (Q) | 1030 |
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 |
Nonillion |
Quintillion |
2022 |
Ronna (R) | 1027 |
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 |
Octillion |
2022 |
|
Yotta (Y) | 1024 |
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 |
Septillion |
Quadrillion |
1991 |
Zetta (Z) | 1021 |
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 |
Sextillion |
Trilliard |
1991 |
Exa (E) | 1018 |
1,000,000,000,000,000,000 |
Quintillion |
Trillion |
1975 |
Peta (P) | 1015 |
1,000,000,000,000,000 |
Quadrillion |
Billiard |
1975 |
Tera (T) | 1012 |
1,000,000,000,000 |
Trillion |
Billion |
1960 |
Giga (G) | 109 |
1,000,000,000 |
Billion |
Milliard |
1960 |
Mega (M) | 106 |
1,000,000 |
Million |
1873 |
|
Kilo (k) | 103 |
1,000 |
Thousand |
1795 |
|
Hecto (h) | 102 |
100 |
Hundred |
1795 |
|
Deca (da) | 101 |
10 |
Ten |
1795 |
|
One (1) | 100 |
1 |
One |
- |
|
Deci (d) | 10-1 |
0.1 |
Tenth |
1795 |
|
Centi (c) | 10-2 |
0.01 |
Hundredth |
1795 |
|
Milli (m) | 10-3 |
0.001 |
Thousandth |
1795 |
|
Micro (µ) | 10-6 |
0.000001 |
Millionth |
1873 |
|
Nano (n) | 10-9 |
0.000000001 |
Billionth |
Milliardth |
1960 |
Pico (p) | 10-12 |
0.000000000001 |
Trillionth |
Billionth |
1960 |
Femto (f) | 10-15 |
0.000000000000001 |
Quadrillionth |
Billiardth |
1964 |
Atto (a) | 10-18 |
0.000000000000000001 |
Quintillionth |
Trillionth |
1964 |
Zepto (z) | 10-21 |
0.000000000000000000001 |
Sextillionth |
Trilliardth |
1991 |
Yocto (y) | 10-24 |
0.000000000000000000000001 |
Septillionth |
Quadrillionth |
1991 |
Ronto (r) | 10-27 |
0.000000000000000000000000001 |
Octillionth |
2022 |
|
Quecto (q) | 10-30 |
0.000000000000000000000000000001 |
Nonillionth |
Quintillionth |
2022 |
Other Prefix Unit Definitions
- Atto (a)
- Centi (c)
- Deca (da)
- Deci (d)
- Deka (da)
- Exa (E)
- Exbi (Ei)
- Femto (f)
- Gibi (Gi)
- Giga (G)
- Hecto (h)
- Kibi (Ki)
- Kilo (k)
- Mebi (Mi)
- Mega (M)
- Micro (µ)
- Milli (m)
- Nano (n)
- One (1)
- Pebi (Pi)
- Peta (P)
- Pico (p)
- Qubi (Qi)
- Quecto (q)
- Quetta (Q)
- Robi (Ri)
- Ronna (R)
- Ronto (r)
- Tebi (Ti)
- Tera (T)
- Yobi (Yi)
- Yocto (y)
- Yotta (Y)
- Zebi (Zi)
- Zepto (z)
- Zetta (Z)
Convert to Another Prefix Unit
Related Definitions
Disclaimer
Though every effort has been made to test this unit converter, we are not to be held liable for any special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages or monetary losses of any kind arising out of or in connection with the use of any of the converter tools and information sourced from this website. This unit converter is provided as a service to you, please use at your own risk. Do not use calculations for anything where loss of life, money, property, etc could result from inaccurate unit conversions.
For more information: please see our full disclaimer.
Sources
“Yocto-.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 June 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yocto-.