# Chains to Micrometers (ch to μm)

Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/chains-to-micrometers/

**1 ch = 20116800 μm**

One chain equals exactly 20,116,800 micrometers (about 20.1 million micrometers). The chain (66 feet / 20.12 m) is an enormous distance at the micrometer scale used for cells, bacteria, and semiconductor features. These units are separated by 7 orders of magnitude.

## Formula

Convert Chains to Micrometers

## Conversion Table

| Chains (ch) | Micrometers (μm) |
|---|---|
| 1.0E-7 ch | 2.01168 μm |
| 1.0E-6 ch | 20.1168 μm |
| 1.0E-5 ch | 201.168 μm |
| 0.0001 ch | 2011.68 μm |
| 0.001 ch | 20116.8 μm |
| 0.01 ch | 201168 μm |
| 0.1 ch | 2011680 μm |
| 0.5 ch | 10058400 μm |
| 1 ch | 20116800 μm |
| 5 ch | 100584000 μm |
| 10 ch | 201168000 μm |

## Units

### Chain (ch)

Exactly 66 feet or 4 rods (20.1168 m). Invented by Edmund Gunter for land surveying. 80 chains make one mile. Still used in US public land surveys.

### Micrometer (μm)

One millionth of a meter, also called a micron. Used in biology for cell sizes, in engineering for surface finishes, and in manufacturing tolerances.

## Background

A cricket pitch (1 chain) is about 20.1 million micrometers long. A red blood cell (7 micrometers) is 3.48 x 10-7 chains across. A human hair (75 micrometers) is 3.73 x 10-6 chains wide. These comparisons show the vast gap between land surveying and cellular measurement.

## Good to Know

Micrometers define the world of biology (cells at 1-100 micrometers) and semiconductors (features at 0.003-1 micrometers). Chains defined the world of English farming (fields measured in chains and furlongs). Same physical quantity, incompatible scales.

## FAQ

### How many micrometers are in 1 chain?

One chain contains exactly 20,116,800 micrometers (about 20.1 million). Since 1 chain = 20.1168 meters and 1 meter = 1,000,000 micrometers, multiply.

### How do I convert chains to micrometers?

Multiply the number of chains by 20,116,800. For example, 0.5 chains = 10,058,400 micrometers.

### Is this conversion ever practical?

No. Chains measure land parcels. Micrometers measure cells and chip features. They never meet in any real application.

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### How many bacteria fit in a surveyor's chain?

A chain is about 2.012 x 1010 micrometers. A typical bacterium is 1-5 micrometers. So about 4-20 billion bacteria could line up across one chain. Gunter's chain was probably home to quite a few after a day in muddy fields.

### Is there any overlap between surveying and microbiology?

Only in soil science, where the land being surveyed (in chains) contains microorganisms measured in micrometers. The dirt under a surveyor's boots contains more biological complexity per micrometer than the field has per chain.

### How thick is a chain's metal link in micrometers?

A typical old surveying chain link was about 5 mm thick, or 5,000 micrometers. So the chain that measures 20 million micrometers of distance is made of wire that is 5,000 micrometers thick. The tool is 4,000 times thinner than what it measures.

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## See Also

- [Micrometers to Chains](https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/micrometers-to-chains/)