Convert Angstrom to Fathom (Å → ftm)

Converting angstroms to fathoms is straightforward: multiply by the conversion factor. Follow these three steps to do it by hand or in your head.

1. 1
   Take your value in angstroms

   Start with the number of angstroms (Å) you want to convert.
2. 2
   Multiply by 5.468 × 10^-11

   The conversion factor from Å to ftm is 5.468 × 10^-11. Multiply your value by this number.
3. 3
   Read the result in fathoms

   The result is your value in fathoms (ftm).

Multiply the value in angstroms by 5.468 × 10^-11. For the reverse direction, multiply by 18,288,000,000.

• ✓1 Å = 0.1 nm = 100 pm. Modern SI recommends nm or pm for new publications.
• ✓The ångström is named after the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström.
• ✓For quick atomic-scale intuition: most atoms are 1–3 Å across.

• ✗Mixing up Å with µm — the scale differs by 10,000×.
• ✗Using Å for anything macroscopic — always use nm or mm for things visible under a light microscope.
• ✗Forgetting the diacritic in "Ångström" — the symbol Å avoids spelling issues.

What is the Angstrom?

The angstrom equals exactly 0.1 nanometers or 10⁻¹⁰ meters and is the historical unit for atomic and molecular dimensions. Named after Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström (1814–1874), who used it to chart the wavelengths of solar spectral lines, the unit was widely adopted in spectroscopy, crystallography, and chemistry. The diameter of a hydrogen atom is about 1 Å, and visible light wavelengths range from 4,000 to 7,000 Å. While the SI system officially recommends nanometers (10 Å = 1 nm), the angstrom remains common in older physics and chemistry literature, X-ray diffraction studies, and crystal structure data. The symbol Å uses a special character with a circle above the A. The angstrom is one of the few non-SI units still routinely used in scientific publications, particularly in solid-state physics.

• X-ray crystallography and protein structure
• Chemical bond length measurement
• Atomic physics and spectroscopy

What is the Fathom?

The fathom equals exactly 1.8288 meters or 6 feet and is the traditional marine depth unit. The word derives from the Old English 'fæðm,' meaning the span of outstretched arms — historically the distance a sailor could measure rope by stretching it from fingertip to fingertip. Used since antiquity for sounding water depth (lowering a weighted line and counting fathom marks), the fathom remains common in nautical charts, diving manuals, and marine literature. Famous from Mark Twain's pen name (a riverboat lead's call meaning 'safe water,' 2 fathoms or 12 feet) and Shakespeare's 'full fathom five,' the unit retains cultural resonance. Modern oceanographic science prefers the meter, but the fathom persists in fishing, recreational diving, and historical maritime contexts. The fathom relates to the foot (1 fathom = 6 ft) and the yard (1 fathom = 2 yd).

• Water depth on older US nautical charts
• Maritime literature and historical navigation
• Sport diving and scuba depth references in the US