5 Common Things That Are 5 Centimeters Long

Many items that we use every day are 5 centimeters long. 5 cm is equivalent to 1.9685 inches or 0.05 meters. With a scale or tape, you can quickly measure this length. However, evaluating such short lengths with measuring tools every time you need to determine the size of an object is not only impracticable, but also exceedingly tedious. Therefore, learning to measure small objects without any tools can be quite handy.

But, 5 cm is very small in terms of size. This makes it difficult to visualize such a length. To learn the skill of measuring 5 cm without any tools, you need to have point-of-reference items or things that are 5 centimeters long.

To help you with this, I have compiled a list of 5 common things that are 5 cm long. You can quickly estimate the size of 5 cm by comparing the objects with the things below.

1. Matchsticks

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A matchstick is a tool used for ignition. Usually, matchsticks are made of hardwood sticks with a coating on one end that can start a fire when struck against a compatible surface. Despite the popularity of electric igniters and gas lighters, matchsticks continue to be one of the most commonly used fire-starting tools in every part of the world. Most likely, you can find one in your kitchen drawer. These matchsticks are appropriate not only for outdoor activities like camping and barbecue parties but also for emergency preparedness and building DIY survival kits.

Depending on the brand and kind of match being evaluated, a matchstick’s length can vary. The majority of regular matchsticks which are included in safety matches are, however, only up to 48 millimeters, or 4.8 cm, in length. Therefore, a matchstick can be used as a reference when figuring out the size of a small object, as it is quite near to 5 centimeters.

2. Baseballs

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There’s no need for me to explain what a baseball is. You probably learned to play baseball as a child and have a set of baseball cards featuring the greatest players like Babe Ruth, Derek Jeter, Pete Rose, and many other baseball legends. Even if the popularity of the sport is declining and e-sports are becoming more and more popular, baseball will always be considered the national pastime of the United States.

Baseballs that are used in major league competitions range in diameter from 2.86 to 2.94 inches or about 7.2644 cm to 7.4676 cm. This is quite close to the 5-centimeter mark. If you want to assess whether something is around five centimeters or not, you can compare it with a baseball’s diameter.

3. Coins

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Coins are one of the most ubiquitous items in the world, therefore using them to measure small objects is quite practical. They come in a range of sizes depending on the country and monetary value. A U.S. quarter, for instance, has a diameter of 24.26 mm or 2.426 cm. Lining up two quarters in a row equals 48.52 mm or 4.85 cm, which is pretty close to five centimeters.

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The diameter of a one-dollar American coin is 26.49 mm or 2.649 cm. This means that if you line up two of them side by side in a row, the total width will be 52.98 mm or  5.298 cm. This is also fairly close to the 5-centimeter threshold.

Next time you need to estimate whether something is five centimeters or not, visualize two quarters or two $1 coins lined up in a row and use that as a reference.

4. Double A (AA) Battery

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The most widely used batteries in the world are AA batteries. An AA battery is a single-cell cylinder-shaped dry battery made of either lithium, carbon zinc, or alkaline cells. These batteries are widely used in electronic handhelds and other gadgets. AA batteries are manufactured and sold by well-known companies including Duracell, ACDelco, Panasonic, Energizer, AmazonBasics, and many others.

If you’ve ever replaced the batteries in your child’s toys or of the smoke detector, you probably have an idea about the size of an AA battery. Despite the fact that batteries come in a wide range of sizes, the size of an AA battery has been standardized. **An AA battery is typically 50.5 mm or 5.05 centimeters long. **

An AA battery is a great measurement reference for 5 centimeters because it is only 0.05 cm longer. So, if you need to measure something tiny, picture an AA battery and compare the size of the object to it to get a fair estimate.

5. Golf Tee

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It is not necessary to be an avid golf fan or a golfer to know what a golf tee is. Golf tees are something you may be familiar with if you’ve ever seen the PGA Championship or European Tour. First and foremost, know that golf tees are not the same as tee shirts!

Now, you may have seen the little white stands used by golfers to lift and hold the ball before making a strike with a club on television. Those tiny stands are known as golf tees. Professional golfers Walter Hagen and Joe Kirkwood were responsible for popularizing the tee.

Golf tees come in a wide range of sizes. The length of the tee golfers use is largely determined by their preferences and swinging techniques. Golf tees made by manufacturers range in size from 1.5 inches up to 4 inches and don’t exceed this height limit. Small golf tees, such as those measuring 2 or 2.125 inches, are roughly 5 centimeters long (5.08 cm and 5.39 cm, respectively).

Therefore, use a small golf tee as a reference to determine if something is 5 centimeters in size or not.

In this article, I have covered only five of the most common 5 centimeters long things. While some of them are not precisely 5 centimeters, however, these can serve as a point of comparison and help in measuring small objects. If you keep your eyes peeled, you can find many items that are five centimeters or close to it.