No matter how many arguments or lengthy discussions stem from this debate of meter vs. Here are just a few:. History of the Metric System The French are widely credited with the originating the metric system of measurement.
However, its use was not required. Army and Marine Corps adopted the metric system. Used as the basis for their weapons and equipment. This act called for all federal government agencies to use the metric system for business by the end of Here are just a few: 1. The metric system has been adopted by most major countries around the world.
By the mids, most countries had converted to the metric system or had plans to do so. When it comes to measurement, the United States is the only major country who has not adopted the metric system! Using the metric system just makes sense, in order to standardize measurement around the globe. For instance, the length is measured using the meter in SI units whereas foot is used in the United States metric units.
The unit length is used for measuring the size of an object or the distance from one end to the other end. There are various units such as a meter, kilometer, millimeter, feet, inches, and so on. The standard unit for measurement of length is meter. The standard tool we use to measure length is a ruler. These are some examples that show where the length measurements are typically used:.
The below table shows various units of length measurement with their respective conversions in the metric system. The unit weight is used for measuring the mass of an object. The standard unit for measurement of weight is a kilogram. The standard tool we use to measure weight is the beam-balance or the weighing scale. These are some examples that show where the weight measurements are typically used:. The term capacity is used for measuring the volume or the space occupied by an object.
The standard unit for measurement of capacity is the liter. The standard tool we use to measure length is the measuring cup. For example,. We do not need much introduction to the word "time" as we use it frequently. The measurement of time is common in both the SI units and the United States metric units.
The French Revolution changed all that. During the volatile years between and , the revolutionaries sought not only to overturn politics by taking power away from the monarchy and the church, but also to fundamentally alter society by overthrowing old traditions and habits. To this end, they introduced, among other things, the Republican Calendar in , which consisted of hour days, with minutes per hour and seconds per minute.
But while decimal time did not stick, the new decimal system of measurement, which is the basis of the metre and the kilogram, remains with us today. Prior to the French Revolution, at least , different units of measurement were used throughout France Credit: Madhvi Ramani. These scientists were keen to create a new, uniform set based on reason rather than local authorities and traditions. Therefore, it was determined that the metre was to be based purely on nature.
It was to be one millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator. The line of longitude running from the pole to the equator that would be used to determine the length of the new standard was the Paris meridian. This line bisects the centre of the Paris Observatory building in the 14th arrondissement, and is marked by a brass strip laid into the white marble floor of its high-ceilinged Meridian Room, or Cassini Room.
This is the line that two astronomers set out from Paris to measure in Using the latest equipment and the mathematical process of triangulation to measure the meridian arc between these two sea-level locations, and then extrapolating the distance between the North Pole and the equator by extending the arc to an ellipse, the two astronomers aimed to meet back in Paris to come up with the new, universal standard of measurement within one year.
It ended up taking seven. The line of longitude used to determine the length of the metre runs through the centre of the Paris Observatory Credit: Madhvi Ramani.
As Dr Alder details in his book, measuring this meridian arc during a time of great political and social upheaval proved to be an epic undertaking. The two astronomers were frequently met with suspicion and animosity; they fell in and out of favour with the state; and were even injured on the job, which involved climbing to high points such as the tops of churches.
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