What prefix means 'one billionth', related to technologies and materials at the nanoscale?

The prefix that signifies 'one billionth' is "nano-." In the context of nanotechnology and materials, "nano" is a critical term because it denotes a scale that ranges from 1 to 100 nanometers. This scale is significant for various scientific and engineering applications, particularly in fields like materials science, biology, and electronics, where properties of materials can differ remarkably when measured at the nanoscale.

Understanding prefixes in the metric system is essential in science, as each prefix represents a specific factor of ten. In this case, "nano-" specifies a factor of 10^-9, which directly corresponds to one billionth. This distinction is vital when discussing or measuring phenomena that occur at the nanoscale, as it conveys the incredibly small dimensions that are a hallmark of nanotechnology.