Micronewton

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A unit of force in the metric system equal to one millionth of a newton, used to measure very small forces
2. The metric unit of force representing a millionth part of a newton, commonly applied in precision scientific measurements
3. A measurement of force equivalent to 10⁻⁶ newtons, employed in physics and engineering for minute force applications

Etymology: The micronewton is a plain technical coinage: it is simply the newton, the SI unit of force, with the prefix "micro-" attached. That prefix comes from the Greek "mikros", meaning small, and in the SI system it stands for one millionth, so one micronewton is a millionth of a newton. The newton itself is named after Isaac Newton, whose work on motion and gravitation defined the concept of force that the unit measures. The combination is a product of the metric system's standard prefixes rather than of everyday speech. Its use is confined to physics, engineering and fields such as microscopy and force-sensing, where forces far too small for ordinary units need to be expressed. Because the SI prefixes can be attached to any base unit, the micronewton follows the same pattern as the micrometre or microsecond, and its meaning can be worked out from its two parts alone.