What is the standard unit of length in the metric system?

The standard unit of length in the metric system is the meter. The meter serves as the fundamental unit from which other units of length are derived. It is defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in a specific fraction of a second, making it a precise and universal measure.

Centimeters, millimeters, and kilometers are all derived from the meter and are used for specific applications or to measure different scales. For instance, a centimeter is one-hundredth of a meter, a millimeter is one-thousandth of a meter, and a kilometer is one thousand meters. While these units are common in everyday use, especially for measuring smaller or larger distances, the meter remains the base unit used in the International System of Units (SI), which is the standard for scientific measurements globally.