In this article, you will see exactly how big 5 millimeters is along with some examples.
What is a millimeter? A millimeter is a unit of length measurement in the metric system. Millimeters are normally used to measure very small objects.
You will often see the abbreviation mm used for millimeter and the prefix term milli means a factor of one-thousandth.
How Big Is 5 Millimeters (MM)?
5 Millimeters is equal to 0.5 centimeters, 5000 micrometers, and 0.005 meters.
5 Millimeters is also equal to:
- 0.1965 inches
- 0.0164 feet
List of items that are 5 millimeters in size
50 sheets of paper
The common sheet of paper can vary in dimensions and have multiple uses. Most people are familiar with the 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of paper used in printers.
The thickness or width of a sheet of paper can vary between 0.05 millimeters to 0.10 millimeters. The thinnest paper is 0.02 mm and the thickest is cardstock paper at 1.2 mm.
But on average, a standard sheet of paper is 0.10 mm thick and is measured using a micrometer and caliper for precision measurements.
If you were to place 50 sheets of paper on top of each other in a pile, they would equal 5 millimeters thick.
Standard dice
Most people will use dice to play board games and other games where a random number is required. Dice are also used in casinos in games like roulette.
Not all dice are the same size and there are many different types and designs. But the common size dice that most people are familiar with measures 5 millimeters on all sides.
4 Cd’s
Although CDs are not very popular these days, they are still used and most people are familiar with the size of a cd. CDs are very thin and can easily be placed on top of each other to be used as a size reference.
Each cd has a thickness of 1.2 millimeters. If you placed 4 CDs on top of each other they would measure 4.8 millimeters tall. Not exactly 5 mm but very close.
2 USB C ports
A USB or Universal Serial Bus, is normally found on computers and is used to attach other devices like a phone, printer, mice, and storage devices to the computer.
A USB C port is only 2.6 millimeters thick. If you can imagine 2 of these ports together one on top of the other, they would measure just over 5 millimeters thick.
20 Playing cards
Playing cards are very common and are used to play games like poker and rummy. Playing cards are made out of stock paper and plastic-coated paper.
Not all playing cards are the same size and they can vary depending on the game being played. But on average, a standard playing card ranges in thickness from 0.17mm to 0.24mm.
If you removed 20 cards from the deck and placed them on top of each other, the stack of cards would measure close to 5 millimeters thick.
Keep in mind that this would be for a brand-new deck of cards. Over time, the cards will get worn from use and possibly bend. They might not be the same thickness as brand-new cards.
5 Millimeter marking on a ruler
As mentioned, millimeters are used when measuring smaller items. People will often use a ruler. To locate mm on a ruler, start at the end of the ruler which is the 0 point, and start to count the individual markings on the edge of the ruler. Each one of these markings is equal to 1 mm. If you count 5 markings, it is equal to 5 mm.
5 Millimeter marking on a measuring tape
You can also use a metric measuring tape to measure 5 millimeters.
