Which of the following best describes a nanosecond?

• A. A nanosecond is $1\times {10}^{-12}$ seconds.
• B. A nanosecond is $1\times {10}^{-3}$ seconds.
• C. A nanosecond is $1\times {10}^{-9}$ seconds.
• D. A nanosecond is $1\times {10}^{-6}$ seconds.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the definition of a nanosecond: it is a unit of time used to measure very short intervals.
2. Understand the metric prefixes: 'nano' means 10 to the power of -9, which is one billionth of a unit.
3. Express a nanosecond in seconds using scientific notation: since 'nano' corresponds to 10^{-9}, a nanosecond equals \$1 \times 10^{-9}$ seconds.
4. Compare this with other options: \$10^{-12}\( seconds is a picosecond, \)10^{-6}\( seconds is a microsecond, and \)10^{-3}$ seconds is a millisecond.
5. Conclude that the correct description of a nanosecond is \$1 \times 10^{-9}$ seconds.