Final answer:
Option (A), A picosecond (ps) represents 1×10^-12 seconds, and of the given options, a nanosecond (ns), which is 1×10^-9 seconds, is the direct next larger unit of time measurement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question concerns time measurements, specifically a picosecond, which is a unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). This unit represents a very small fraction of a second.
A picosecond is equivalent to 1×10-12 seconds. When comparing a picosecond to the given options, the correct answer is: (a) Nanosecond.
This is because units of time follow this order from smallest to largest: femtosecond (fs), picosecond (ps), nanosecond (ns), microsecond (µs), millisecond (ms), and finally, second (s). A nanosecond is one order of magnitude larger than a picosecond, where 1 nanosecond equals 1×10-9 seconds, making it the closest larger unit compared to a picosecond.