Which of the following terms contains a metric prefix that represents one billionth (10^{-9})?

• A. millimeter
• B. nanometer
• C. centiliter
• D. kilogram

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that metric prefixes represent specific powers of ten, which help express very large or very small quantities in a compact form.
2. Recall that the prefix for one billionth (10^{-9}) is 'nano-', which is commonly used in units like nanometer (nm).
3. Analyze each term: 'millimeter' has the prefix 'milli-' which means 10^{-3}, 'centiliter' has 'centi-' meaning 10^{-2}, and 'kilogram' has 'kilo-' meaning 10^{3}.
4. Identify that 'nanometer' contains the prefix 'nano-', which corresponds exactly to 10^{-9}.
5. Conclude that among the given options, 'nanometer' is the term that contains the metric prefix representing one billionth (10^{-9}).