Part-per Billion [ppb] to Part-per Quadrillion [ppq] Converter

Definition: Parts per billion (ppb) is a way of expressing extremely dilute concentrations of substances. It represents the number of parts of a substance per billion parts of the mixture.

History/origin: Similar to ppm, ppb was developed to express even smaller concentrations than ppm. It's a natural extension of the parts-per notation system.

Current use: PPB is used when measuring extremely low levels of contaminants or trace elements, for example, in sensitive environmental monitoring or in advanced chemical analysis.

Definition: Part-per quadrillion (ppq) is a unit used to express extremely minute concentrations, representing one part of a substance per quadrillion parts of the mixture. It is used in highly specialized scientific fields where extremely low concentrations are of interest.

History/origin: The use of 'part per quadrillion' arises from the need to quantify concentrations that are far below those measurable in 'parts per trillion'. Its development is linked to advancements in analytical chemistry and other scientific disciplines allowing for the detection of extremely small quantities of a substance.

Current use: PPQ is used in specialized fields like astrophysics to describe concentrations of elements in stellar atmospheres, and in advanced materials science. The unit is rarely used in common applications due to the extremely low concentrations it represents.