Eric Berg
C-Band
1/14/19
The Redefinition of the Kilogram
The recent vote by 57 countries to redefine the standard for the kilogram realizes the goals of those who originally established the metric system following the French Revolution. Due to inconsistencies that existed at the time in trade commerce, people during the French Revolution wanted a more universal way to measure substances.e. The International System of Units was developed soon after the revolution and adopted by most countries in the world. In November of 2018, the goals of the vote were the same: to provide more consistency in weight measurement,. As precision grows in necessity with advancing technology, scientists need consistent measurements that are universal and unchanging. Before the vote, the kilogram was defined as a platinum-iridium artifact. The artifact known as the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK) is carefully preserved at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.
Despite careful preservation under two glass containers in a controlled environment, the artifact was losing weight over time. This meant that if the mass of the IPK changed, all other units based on the kilogram would need to be altered. The kilogram did not fulfill the goals of the citizens in the French Revolution due to its fluctuating definition over time. Additionally the storage of the object that defines the kilogram is not very global. One country has control over units that the whole world uses. Therefore, like distance and time, scientists voted to redefine the kilogram based on a fundamental constant of nature that can be measured from anywhere in the world. This would make it so that anyone from anywhere could calibrate any device to exactly 1 kilogram without the need of a physical object like the IPK. Other base units are established in universal properties. For example, the meter (m) is based on the size of one specific wavelength of light. One second is the “time that elapses during 9,192,631,770 (9.192631770 x 10 9) cycles of the radiation produced by the transition between two levels of the Cesium 133 atom.” The redefinition of the kilogram will allow for increased precision in the future of measurement. While this is yet to be defined, it will have a great impact on the future of scientific research and allow for greater precision in all areas.
The vote is a turning point for humanity because a new definition of a kilogram allows for a universal measure that does not change and is easily accessible anywhere on the planet, not only France. This will indirectly impact my life by creating a society built on non-physical objects and consistency. It will require a greater understanding of nature’s laws and in the future, it will allow for more precise measurements and more technological advancements. Additionally, the new standard for the kilogram will further unify today’s countries. Previously a singular country held the object that determined how the other countries measured objects, however with the new vote, no one will rely on any other place for calibration to the kilogram meaning that there will no longer be a dispute over what is the “correct” definition of the kilogram. Technological advancements will directly impact my life because they have the capability to make my life more efficient. It will also make processors more effective meaning that the power of everyday electronics may increase, enabling more computationally intensive operations to be completed. The transition from the IPK to a new standard based on an intensive property of the universe allows for infinite precision in measurements relating to the mass of an object. This means that units will no longer fluctuate and will be constant across the universe. If humanity inhabits other planets future civilizations will be able to utilize the measurement system from anywhere without a physical object or being affected by changing gravity. More precise research, electronics, and spacecraft can exist. Additionally, the kilogram will be able to be measured from anywhere in the world, meaning that future precise measurements can be done with greater precision from anywhere in the world without a physical object needed to calibrate any instruments.
Bibliography
Marantz, A. (2014, June 13). ≤ kg [Audio file]. Retrieved from https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/kg
Materese, R. (2018, December 06). A Turning Point for Humanity: Redefining the World's Measurement System. Retrieved January 13, 2019, from https://www.nist.gov/si-redefinition/turning-point-humanity-redefining-worlds-measurement-system
Second (s or sec). (2011, March). Retrieved January 13, 2019, from WhatIs
website: https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/second-s-or-sec
C-Band
1/14/19
The Redefinition of the Kilogram
The recent vote by 57 countries to redefine the standard for the kilogram realizes the goals of those who originally established the metric system following the French Revolution. Due to inconsistencies that existed at the time in trade commerce, people during the French Revolution wanted a more universal way to measure substances.e. The International System of Units was developed soon after the revolution and adopted by most countries in the world. In November of 2018, the goals of the vote were the same: to provide more consistency in weight measurement,. As precision grows in necessity with advancing technology, scientists need consistent measurements that are universal and unchanging. Before the vote, the kilogram was defined as a platinum-iridium artifact. The artifact known as the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK) is carefully preserved at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.
Despite careful preservation under two glass containers in a controlled environment, the artifact was losing weight over time. This meant that if the mass of the IPK changed, all other units based on the kilogram would need to be altered. The kilogram did not fulfill the goals of the citizens in the French Revolution due to its fluctuating definition over time. Additionally the storage of the object that defines the kilogram is not very global. One country has control over units that the whole world uses. Therefore, like distance and time, scientists voted to redefine the kilogram based on a fundamental constant of nature that can be measured from anywhere in the world. This would make it so that anyone from anywhere could calibrate any device to exactly 1 kilogram without the need of a physical object like the IPK. Other base units are established in universal properties. For example, the meter (m) is based on the size of one specific wavelength of light. One second is the “time that elapses during 9,192,631,770 (9.192631770 x 10 9) cycles of the radiation produced by the transition between two levels of the Cesium 133 atom.” The redefinition of the kilogram will allow for increased precision in the future of measurement. While this is yet to be defined, it will have a great impact on the future of scientific research and allow for greater precision in all areas.
The vote is a turning point for humanity because a new definition of a kilogram allows for a universal measure that does not change and is easily accessible anywhere on the planet, not only France. This will indirectly impact my life by creating a society built on non-physical objects and consistency. It will require a greater understanding of nature’s laws and in the future, it will allow for more precise measurements and more technological advancements. Additionally, the new standard for the kilogram will further unify today’s countries. Previously a singular country held the object that determined how the other countries measured objects, however with the new vote, no one will rely on any other place for calibration to the kilogram meaning that there will no longer be a dispute over what is the “correct” definition of the kilogram. Technological advancements will directly impact my life because they have the capability to make my life more efficient. It will also make processors more effective meaning that the power of everyday electronics may increase, enabling more computationally intensive operations to be completed. The transition from the IPK to a new standard based on an intensive property of the universe allows for infinite precision in measurements relating to the mass of an object. This means that units will no longer fluctuate and will be constant across the universe. If humanity inhabits other planets future civilizations will be able to utilize the measurement system from anywhere without a physical object or being affected by changing gravity. More precise research, electronics, and spacecraft can exist. Additionally, the kilogram will be able to be measured from anywhere in the world, meaning that future precise measurements can be done with greater precision from anywhere in the world without a physical object needed to calibrate any instruments.
Bibliography
Marantz, A. (2014, June 13). ≤ kg [Audio file]. Retrieved from https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/kg
Materese, R. (2018, December 06). A Turning Point for Humanity: Redefining the World's Measurement System. Retrieved January 13, 2019, from https://www.nist.gov/si-redefinition/turning-point-humanity-redefining-worlds-measurement-system
Second (s or sec). (2011, March). Retrieved January 13, 2019, from WhatIs
website: https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/second-s-or-sec
