Violet Chernoff
E Band
January 14th, 2019
Redefining the World's Metric System
After many years of contemplating how to fix the International System of Units, which is known as the metric system, scientists have voted to use fundamental scientific “constants” to define every base unit. It may come as a surprise to some that the widely used system is flawed, and it may be even more shocking that the measurements were originally based on physical objects. The system was created to address an issue of inconsistent measurements in 1700s France, where food was scarce and bakers were tricking customers, who lacked the ability to measure the amount, by selling less bread for the same amount of money. At the time, there were thousands of somewhat arbitrary units of measurement, which made trade nearly impossible. As a solution to these problems, the French developed the Grand K, which was a piece of metal that physically represented the value of a kilogram, by cubing a tenth of the original meter (which was wrongly measured by a human) and filling it with water.
Although it was carefully protected from the outside world through tight security and monitoring, what happened to the “Grand K” was proof of scientist’s worst fears; when they measured it next to a modern day kilogram, its weight came slightly short. This meant that there was no accurate definition of the kilogram. Though the error was marginal, it led to many larger errors in science; for example, when measuring the constants of nature, scientists used a kilogram calibrated against the Grand K, resulting in increased uncertainty in very important measurements.
Since then, scientists have worked tirelessly to improve the system, and now all seven scientific base units, which include meters and kilograms, will be based on known fixed values of constants. This change has been in the works for centuries, and is the embodiment of the 18th century idea that natural laws are constant, unlike physical objects, and can therefore provide a more reliable basis for measurements. It also realizes the original goal of the system, which was to be worldwide and timeless. What the French failed to recognize was that although their measurements had significance, meaning they were not completely random, their physical representations could not remain unchanging ‘forever.’ Now, since the system is based on certain scientific principles, it is not only universal, but also timeless.
Although this change may not seem significant, the whopping six and a half billion people who use the metric system daily will be impacted. This change will serve to make measurements more precise and accurate in relation to others with different units, and will manifest itself in making groundbreaking technological innovations possible. This may, for example, allow Apple to discover new ways to develop the IPhone, which would have a large-reaching effect on society. It also may change the way substances which require very specific and precise quantities, such as pills, are measured and distributed. This is a major step forward for humanity because we now have an unparalleled, long-lasting system, that incorporates many constants that have been discovered through very hard work, and enables us to maintain universal communication and consistency. In a world in which facts are often slippery, and many spheres of life seem uncertain, it is reassuring to know that now a kilogram is really a kilogram.
Works Cited:
NIST. (2018). A Turning Point for Humanity: Redefining the World’s Measurement System. [online] Available at: https://www.nist.gov/si-redefinition/turning-point-humanity-redefining-worlds-measurement-system [Accessed 20 Dec. 2018].
WNYC Studios. (2018). The Meter: The Measure of a Man | Radiolab | WNYC Studios. [online] Available at: https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/meter-measure-man [Accessed 20 Dec. 2018].
E Band
January 14th, 2019
Redefining the World's Metric System
After many years of contemplating how to fix the International System of Units, which is known as the metric system, scientists have voted to use fundamental scientific “constants” to define every base unit. It may come as a surprise to some that the widely used system is flawed, and it may be even more shocking that the measurements were originally based on physical objects. The system was created to address an issue of inconsistent measurements in 1700s France, where food was scarce and bakers were tricking customers, who lacked the ability to measure the amount, by selling less bread for the same amount of money. At the time, there were thousands of somewhat arbitrary units of measurement, which made trade nearly impossible. As a solution to these problems, the French developed the Grand K, which was a piece of metal that physically represented the value of a kilogram, by cubing a tenth of the original meter (which was wrongly measured by a human) and filling it with water.
Although it was carefully protected from the outside world through tight security and monitoring, what happened to the “Grand K” was proof of scientist’s worst fears; when they measured it next to a modern day kilogram, its weight came slightly short. This meant that there was no accurate definition of the kilogram. Though the error was marginal, it led to many larger errors in science; for example, when measuring the constants of nature, scientists used a kilogram calibrated against the Grand K, resulting in increased uncertainty in very important measurements.
Since then, scientists have worked tirelessly to improve the system, and now all seven scientific base units, which include meters and kilograms, will be based on known fixed values of constants. This change has been in the works for centuries, and is the embodiment of the 18th century idea that natural laws are constant, unlike physical objects, and can therefore provide a more reliable basis for measurements. It also realizes the original goal of the system, which was to be worldwide and timeless. What the French failed to recognize was that although their measurements had significance, meaning they were not completely random, their physical representations could not remain unchanging ‘forever.’ Now, since the system is based on certain scientific principles, it is not only universal, but also timeless.
Although this change may not seem significant, the whopping six and a half billion people who use the metric system daily will be impacted. This change will serve to make measurements more precise and accurate in relation to others with different units, and will manifest itself in making groundbreaking technological innovations possible. This may, for example, allow Apple to discover new ways to develop the IPhone, which would have a large-reaching effect on society. It also may change the way substances which require very specific and precise quantities, such as pills, are measured and distributed. This is a major step forward for humanity because we now have an unparalleled, long-lasting system, that incorporates many constants that have been discovered through very hard work, and enables us to maintain universal communication and consistency. In a world in which facts are often slippery, and many spheres of life seem uncertain, it is reassuring to know that now a kilogram is really a kilogram.
Works Cited:
NIST. (2018). A Turning Point for Humanity: Redefining the World’s Measurement System. [online] Available at: https://www.nist.gov/si-redefinition/turning-point-humanity-redefining-worlds-measurement-system [Accessed 20 Dec. 2018].
WNYC Studios. (2018). The Meter: The Measure of a Man | Radiolab | WNYC Studios. [online] Available at: https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/meter-measure-man [Accessed 20 Dec. 2018].
