In this article, you will see a list of items that are 1 centimeter long.
If you are trying to measure 1 centimeter and don’t have a measuring tool with you, this will come in handy and you can use the following items as a reference.
1 Centimeter is equal to 0.393 inches or 10 millimeters.
2 Pencil erasers
Pencils are a common writing and drawing tool and can be found at any office supply store or other department stores.
If you measure the width of the eraser on the end of the pencil, it will equal 5 millimeters. If you place 2 pencils side by side, both erasers together will equal 10 millimeters which is exactly 1 centimeter long.
5 Dollar coins
In the USA, the dollar coin was first introduced in 1794. The dollar coin is not very popular in the USA as people prefer to use the dollar bill.
Since 2011, the dollar coin is no longer being produced for the general public and is only produced for coin collectors and needs to be ordered directly from the mint.
The USA dollar coin has a thickness of 2 millimeters. If you placed 5 dollar coins on top of each other, they would equal 10 millimeters thick which is the same as 1 centimeter.
100 Dollar bills
Not only can you use the dollar coin as a measuring tool, but you can also use the USA dollar bill. The dollar bill is a standard size of 6.14 inches x 2.61 inches. They are also 0.0043 inches thick.
These dimensions are based on a new bill that is flat and not damaged. But on average, if every dollar bill is 0.0043 inches thick and you placed 100 dollar bills in a stack, they would equal 0.43 inches thick.
0.43 inches is equal to 1.09 centimeters. So although it’s not exactly 1 centimeter, it is close enough to get an idea of how long 1 centimeter is.
Did you know that all dollar bills in the USA are the same size regardless of their value? It’s true. Every bill whether it’s a $1, $5, $20, $100, etc. have the same dimensions!
Head of a thumbtack
Thumbtacks are sharp pins with a flat head used to attach pieces of paper onto a board or other surfaces. Thumbtacks are very popular and can be found at any office supply store.
If you are familiar with the standard metal thumbtacks with flat heads, the size of the thumbtack head is about 1 centimeter across. This can be used as a reference for something that is 1 centimeter long.
1 Pea
Peas are classified by the United States Department Of Agriculture (USDA) as a subgroup of the vegetable group.
Most people are familiar with either yellow or green pea pods with several peas inside. Fresh peas can be bought separately, but also in a can or frozen in a bag.
Each individual pea is about 1 centimeter in size. So the next time you need to know how big 1 centimeter is, reference a pea.
Width of a paperclip
Paperclips are normally either made of plastic or metal and are used to hold several pieces of paper together. Paper clips are easy and convenient to use and are very helpful to keep files organized.
If you have used or seen a paperclip in the past, you likely are familiar with its size. If you were to measure the width of a paperclip, you will see that they are 1.19 centimeters wide.
Although it’s not exactly 1 centimeter, it can be used to get an idea of something that measures 1 centimeter long.
Shoelace
Shoelaces are used every day by millions of people to tie and tighten their shoes. Not all shoelaces are the same size and they can vary depending on the size of the shoe and how many eyelets it has.
The approximate width of a shoelace ranges from 13 millimeters to 19 millimeters. Knowing that 1 centimeter is equal to 10 millimeters, you can use the width of a shoelace to get an idea of 1 centimeter in size.
5 House keys
There are so many different types of keys that can be used for a variety of locks. From padlocks to door locks, keys are used around the world and are made out of different materials.
If you own a home or rent an apartment, you will be familiar with a standard house key. Most house keys are made out of nickel, silver, or brass.
The size of house keys can vary as well but on average, a house key will be 2 millimeters thick. Stacking 5 house keys on top of each other will equal 10 millimeters or 1 centimeter.
Apple watch thickness
The Apple Watch is a smartwatch produced by Apple. The first Apple Watch was first released in 2015 and has evolved over the years to its current model.
Each Apple watch can vary slightly in size and if you currently own an Apple Watch, you will be familiar with the thickness of the watch face.
The Apple Watch Series 6 and 7 have a thickness of 10.7 millimeters which is slightly over 1 centimeter. But if you are stuck in a pinch and need to know the size of something that is 1 centimeter long, just use the thickness of your Apple Watch to get an idea.
