In physics, particularly in the field of nuclear and particle physics, a "barn" is a unit of area used to describe the likelihood of nuclear reactions or scattering events. The name "barn" comes from the idea that it's a very large target area, as if hitting the broad side of a barn were an easy task.
The barn is not part of the International System of Units (SI), but it's a widely recognized unit in nuclear physics. One barn is equal to 1 square femtometer (fm²), which is an incredibly small area. Specifically:
1 barn (b) = 1 square femtometer (fm²) = 10^(-28) square meters (m²)
To put it in perspective, a barn is used to describe the effective target area for nuclear reactions. Nuclear cross-sections, which describe the likelihood of nuclear interactions occurring, are often measured in barns. It's a unit that allows scientists to quantify the probability of certain atomic and subatomic processes taking place.
A square mile (often abbreviated as sq mi or mi²) is a unit of area used primarily in the United States and a few other countries. It is defined as the area of a square with sides that each measure one mile in length. One square mile is equal to 640 acres.
In terms of the International System of Units (SI), one square mile is approximately equal to 2.58999 square kilometers (km²).
To provide some perspective, a square mile is commonly used to describe land areas within cities, counties, and states in the United States. It's a convenient unit for measuring larger land areas, such as the size of cities or counties.