Definition:Metric System/Length/Kilometre
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Kilometre
The kilometre is a metric unit of length.
Conversion Factors
| \(\ds \) | \(\) | \(\ds 1\) | kilometre | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 10\) | hectometres | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 100\) | dekametres | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 1000\) | metres | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 100 \, 000\) | centimetres | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 10^6\) | millimetres | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 39 \, 370 \cdotp 4\) | inches | |||||||||||
| \(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds 0.621\) | miles |
Symbol
- $\mathrm {km}$
The symbol for the kilometre is $\mathrm {km}$:
Its $\LaTeX$ code is \mathrm {km} .
Linguistic Note
It is commonplace to pronounce the word kilometre with the stress on the second syllable: kil-o-me-ter.
However, the pronunciation kil-o-me-ter is also heard.
Linguistic Note on Kilo
The prefix kilo- derives from the Greek word χίλιοι (khilioi), which means thousand.
Sources
- 1944: Alfred E. Holbrow: Geometrical Drawing (12th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Section $\text I$. Introduction
- 1966: Isaac Asimov: Understanding Physics ... (previous) ... (next): $\text {I}$: Motion, Sound and Heat: Chapter $2$: Falling Bodies: Free Fall