Meter [m] to Kilometer [km] Converter

Definition: A meter (m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). It is defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second.

History/origin: The meter was originally defined in the late 18th century as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a meridian. Over time, the definition has been refined to its current form based on the speed of light.

Current use: Meters are widely used in almost all fields, including construction, engineering, science, and sports, for measuring distances, lengths, and heights. They are the standard unit of length in most of the world.

Definition: A kilometer (km) is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand meters. It is a decimal multiple of the meter, the SI base unit of length.

History/origin: The kilometer is derived from the meter, which was defined in the late 18th century during the French Revolution. The prefix 'kilo-' denotes one thousand.

Current use: Kilometers are commonly used for measuring longer distances, such as the distance between cities, the length of a road, or the distance covered in a race. They are the standard unit of distance in many countries.