Nicholas Yohn
C Band Accelerated Chemistry
January 14, 2019
Redefining the World’s Measurement System
On November 16, 2018, scientists from all over the world voted to redefine the kilogram, one of the base units of measurement of the Systeme Internationale (also known as the SI or informally, as the “metric system”). The kilogram was the last of the seven SI base units, which include the meter and second, among others to be redefined. The implementation of the redefined kilogram is set to happen on May 20, 2019, and will realize the original goals of the metric system. Inspired by the egalitarian principles of the French Revolution, the SI was established to create a common system of measurement “for all times, for all people,” to universalize and standardize measurement based on the timeless laws of nature (“The Meter,” 2014). Prior to the Revolution, the lack of absolute standards allowed for the exploitation of the working, who could not tell whether they were being shortchanged on the amount of food they were buying. The SI became an international system in 1875 that used physical prototypes to define its base units instead of the laws of nature. These prototypes were not accessible to all because they were locked underground (in the IBPM in Sèvres, France). Furthermore, the physical prototypes wore down over time, changing their dimensions. (WNYC, 2014). Thus, the SI was not completely “for all times” or “for all people.” The recent vote sought to resolve these problems of access and accuracy by redefining the kilogram in terms of the revised definitions of the meter and second, as well as fixed value for the Planck Constant, a fundamental physical constant (“A Turning Point,” 2018). Now independent of a single location or physical prototype, the definition of the kilogram and the SI overall will truly be “for all times, [and] for all people.” Scientists, engineers, and others from around the world will no longer have to periodically re-calibrate to the IPK (which previously defined the kilogram) to measure mass.
The redefinition is a “turning point for humanity” because it accomplishes the goals of making measurements more and accurate and precise. One of the greatest impacts of the new definition is improved scalability for measurements (“A Turning Point,” 2018). This means that very large-scale and very small-scale measurements will become more precise under the new definition. This could yield major advances in fields such as the pharmaceutical industry, which relies on extremely small-scale measurements, often “a million times smaller than a standard kilogram” (“A Turning Point,” 2018).
Using the redefined kilogram, biochemists, microbiologists, and laboratory technicians can measure the mass of chemicals used to research and develop new drugs with greater precision, yielding more accurate results. There are two potential benefits of this in the pharmaceutical industry. First, companies will be able to manufacture dosages more precisely, lowering manufacturing costs, and, in turn, lowering consumer costs. Second, increased precision in taking microscopic measurements could lead to new avenues of research, resulting in the development of new cures to diseases. These types of advancements could save countless lives, and are just one example of how the redefinition of the kilogram could truly be a “turning point for humanity.”
Once the new definition of the kilogram is implemented, it will likely impact my life both directly and indirectly. One way the new definition will impact me is that scientific instruments of measurement used at Packer will need to be adapted to the new SI definitions. More precise instruments would increase the precision and accuracy of our experiments this year in Chemistry. In a more indirect way, the redefinition of the kilogram could lead to important breakthroughs in the innovation and manufacturing. History shows that “every time humanity has increased the accuracy and precision of measurements, better technologies have resulted” (“A Turning Point,” 2018).
More precise and accurate measurements could help my mother and many others who rely on precise dosages of medication. As someone with heavy asthma, she relies on a metered-dose inhaler of Budesonide and Albuterol Sulfate. The precision of the measurements of these chemical compounds is imperative to the effectiveness of the medication and her well-being. Better measurements of mass could ensure that she receives the correct dosage of medication with increased precision. This is just one example of how the redefined SI, now universally accessible and unchanging, could bring long-lasting change to a world so dependent on precise measurements.
References
Abrumad, J., & Krulwich, R. (Hosts). (2014, June 13). ≤ kg [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/kg.
Materese, R. (2018, December 6). A Turning Point for Humanity: Redefining the World’s Measurement System. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Retrieved from https://www.nist.gov/si-redefinition/turning-point-humanity-redefining-worlds-measurement-system.
Nasser, L. (2014, July 9). The Meter: The Measure of a Man. WNYC Studios: RadioLab. Retrieved from https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/meter-measure-man
C Band Accelerated Chemistry
January 14, 2019
Redefining the World’s Measurement System
On November 16, 2018, scientists from all over the world voted to redefine the kilogram, one of the base units of measurement of the Systeme Internationale (also known as the SI or informally, as the “metric system”). The kilogram was the last of the seven SI base units, which include the meter and second, among others to be redefined. The implementation of the redefined kilogram is set to happen on May 20, 2019, and will realize the original goals of the metric system. Inspired by the egalitarian principles of the French Revolution, the SI was established to create a common system of measurement “for all times, for all people,” to universalize and standardize measurement based on the timeless laws of nature (“The Meter,” 2014). Prior to the Revolution, the lack of absolute standards allowed for the exploitation of the working, who could not tell whether they were being shortchanged on the amount of food they were buying. The SI became an international system in 1875 that used physical prototypes to define its base units instead of the laws of nature. These prototypes were not accessible to all because they were locked underground (in the IBPM in Sèvres, France). Furthermore, the physical prototypes wore down over time, changing their dimensions. (WNYC, 2014). Thus, the SI was not completely “for all times” or “for all people.” The recent vote sought to resolve these problems of access and accuracy by redefining the kilogram in terms of the revised definitions of the meter and second, as well as fixed value for the Planck Constant, a fundamental physical constant (“A Turning Point,” 2018). Now independent of a single location or physical prototype, the definition of the kilogram and the SI overall will truly be “for all times, [and] for all people.” Scientists, engineers, and others from around the world will no longer have to periodically re-calibrate to the IPK (which previously defined the kilogram) to measure mass.
The redefinition is a “turning point for humanity” because it accomplishes the goals of making measurements more and accurate and precise. One of the greatest impacts of the new definition is improved scalability for measurements (“A Turning Point,” 2018). This means that very large-scale and very small-scale measurements will become more precise under the new definition. This could yield major advances in fields such as the pharmaceutical industry, which relies on extremely small-scale measurements, often “a million times smaller than a standard kilogram” (“A Turning Point,” 2018).
Using the redefined kilogram, biochemists, microbiologists, and laboratory technicians can measure the mass of chemicals used to research and develop new drugs with greater precision, yielding more accurate results. There are two potential benefits of this in the pharmaceutical industry. First, companies will be able to manufacture dosages more precisely, lowering manufacturing costs, and, in turn, lowering consumer costs. Second, increased precision in taking microscopic measurements could lead to new avenues of research, resulting in the development of new cures to diseases. These types of advancements could save countless lives, and are just one example of how the redefinition of the kilogram could truly be a “turning point for humanity.”
Once the new definition of the kilogram is implemented, it will likely impact my life both directly and indirectly. One way the new definition will impact me is that scientific instruments of measurement used at Packer will need to be adapted to the new SI definitions. More precise instruments would increase the precision and accuracy of our experiments this year in Chemistry. In a more indirect way, the redefinition of the kilogram could lead to important breakthroughs in the innovation and manufacturing. History shows that “every time humanity has increased the accuracy and precision of measurements, better technologies have resulted” (“A Turning Point,” 2018).
More precise and accurate measurements could help my mother and many others who rely on precise dosages of medication. As someone with heavy asthma, she relies on a metered-dose inhaler of Budesonide and Albuterol Sulfate. The precision of the measurements of these chemical compounds is imperative to the effectiveness of the medication and her well-being. Better measurements of mass could ensure that she receives the correct dosage of medication with increased precision. This is just one example of how the redefined SI, now universally accessible and unchanging, could bring long-lasting change to a world so dependent on precise measurements.
References
Abrumad, J., & Krulwich, R. (Hosts). (2014, June 13). ≤ kg [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/kg.
Materese, R. (2018, December 6). A Turning Point for Humanity: Redefining the World’s Measurement System. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Retrieved from https://www.nist.gov/si-redefinition/turning-point-humanity-redefining-worlds-measurement-system.
Nasser, L. (2014, July 9). The Meter: The Measure of a Man. WNYC Studios: RadioLab. Retrieved from https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/meter-measure-man
