Have you ever heard the phrase “one in a million”? While it often means something special or unique, in science, it refers to a measurement called “parts per million” (ppm). This unit helps us understand how much of one substance is mixed with another. Even a tiny amount can be important, like how just 35 ppm of carbon monoxide in the air can be harmful to our health.
Understanding such large numbers can be tricky, so here are some fun ways to imagine what one part per million looks like:
Imagine you have 11,363 pianos. If you took just one piano key from all those pianos, that would be about one part per million.
Picture 273 sugar cubes. If you had just one tiny granule of sugar among them, that’s another way to see one part per million.
Think about time: one second out of eleven and a half days is like one part per million.
In the famous painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” four tiny dots would represent one part per million.
Your bathtub can hold about 60 gallons of water. If you added just seven drops of ink, that would be one part per million.
The entire Harry Potter series has 1,084,170 words. The word “hippogriff” on page 221 of “The Prisoner of Azkaban” is a bit less than one part per million.
Imagine a truck filled with 1,250 ears of corn, which is about a million kernels. Just one kernel in that truckload is one part per million.
The Empire State Building is made of 10 million bricks. A pile of just ten bricks would be one part per million.
In the making of this video, 100 people worked together. Altogether, they have around 10 million hairs on their heads. If you plucked ten hairs, that would be one part per million.
These examples help us see how small yet significant one part per million can be. It’s a useful way to measure things in science and understand the world around us!
Imagine you have 11,363 pianos. Your task is to create a visual representation using paper or a digital tool to show what one piano key out of all those pianos would look like. Share your creation with the class and explain why this helps you understand one part per million.
Gather 273 sugar cubes and one tiny granule of sugar. Arrange the cubes and place the granule among them. Take a photo or draw a picture of your setup. Discuss with your classmates how this visual helps you grasp the concept of one part per million.
Calculate how many seconds are in eleven and a half days. Then, pick one second from that total and describe a memorable event that could happen in that second. Share your story with the class to illustrate the idea of one part per million in terms of time.
Create your own artwork inspired by “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” Include four tiny dots in your piece to represent one part per million. Present your artwork and explain how these dots help you understand the concept.
Using a clear container filled with water, add seven drops of food coloring to simulate the bathtub ink example. Observe how the color disperses and discuss with your classmates how this visual helps you comprehend one part per million.
What does it mean to be one in a million? Not in the greeting card sense, but in a scientific context, where one part per million is a unit of measurement. Parts per million counts the number of units of one substance per one million units of another. It can measure concentrations where a small amount makes a significant difference. For example, a concentration of just 35 ppm of carbon monoxide in the air is harmful to us.
We encounter measurements like this frequently, but because it’s challenging to conceptualize really large numbers, it’s difficult to understand what one part per million truly means. Here are nine helpful ways to visualize it:
1. If you had 11,363 pianos worth of piano keys, one of those keys would represent about one part per million.
2. A single granule of sugar among 273 sugar cubes is another example.
3. One second in eleven and a half days illustrates this concept as well.
4. Four dots in the painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” also equate to one part per million.
5. Your bathtub’s capacity is about 60 gallons, so seven drops of ink would be one part per million.
6. The English version of the Harry Potter series contains 1,084,170 words, making “hippogriff” on page 221 of “The Prisoner of Azkaban” a little less than one part per million.
7. A million kernels of corn is about 1,250 ears, so one kernel in that truckload would be one part per million.
8. There are 10 million bricks in the Empire State Building, so one part per million would be a pile of just ten.
9. Finally, 100 people worked together to animate this video. Collectively, they have about 10 million hairs on their heads. Pluck ten of those hairs, and you have one in a million.
Parts – In science, “parts” often refers to the components or elements that make up a whole. – In chemistry, a molecule is made up of different parts called atoms.
Million – In mathematics, “million” is a number equal to 1,000,000. – The scientist estimated that there are over a million stars in our galaxy.
Measurement – Measurement is the process of obtaining the size, length, or amount of something, typically using standard units. – The measurement of the liquid was recorded in milliliters for the experiment.
Substance – A substance is a particular kind of matter with uniform properties. – Water is a simple substance made of hydrogen and oxygen.
Carbon – Carbon is a chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6, essential to all living organisms. – Carbon is a key element in organic chemistry, forming the backbone of many molecules.
Health – In science, health refers to the state of being free from illness or injury. – Regular exercise and a balanced diet are important for maintaining good health.
Time – Time is a measured period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues. – In physics, time is a fundamental quantity used to sequence events.
Sugar – Sugar is a sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, used as a sweetener in food and drink. – In biology, sugar is an important source of energy for cells.
Ink – Ink is a colored fluid used for writing, drawing, or printing. – The scientist used special ink to label the samples for the experiment.
Pianos – While not directly related to science, pianos can be studied in terms of acoustics and sound waves. – The study of how pianos produce sound involves understanding the physics of vibrations and sound waves.
