Metric Views

A correspondent recently complained that a university quoted photographic paper sizes to him in imperial units. This reminded me of an unpleasant discovery I made some years ago.

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John Frewen-Lord has passed on a link which illustrates the UK’s increasing isolation from other Commonwealth countries in the matter of measurement. And if Toronto, facing New York State across Lake Ontario, can nevertheless escape US influence, then why can’t we?

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A feature of the metric system, which distinguishes it from customary ‘systems’, is the use prefixes for decimal multiples and submultiples as well as the use of symbols for units. These were not part of Wilkins’ proposals of 1668. Roddy Urquhart compares Wilkins’ proposals with the modern metric system (SI).

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A fellow metric supporter whom admits to being a little weak on mathematics owned up to not understanding the difference between accuracy and precision when it comes to measurement.

He is probably right in saying that he is not alone and that many people fail to see advantages with metric in this respect.

I offer here two examples in an attempt to clarify the issue, one purely numeric, the other practical involving an everyday example of measurement.

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The media always report statistics of oil production, reserves etc in “barrels”. But how many people know how big a “barrel” is?* Indeed is it an appropriate unit of measurement to use in the context of world energy policy?

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A new method of defining the kilogram is being sought by various teams of scientists around the world. However, it may be some years before a decision emerges. (NB - this will obviously not alter the actual size of the kilogram). This article, contributed by Martin Vlietstra, will be of interest to the more technically minded.
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The introduction of metric units in the UK has been controversial and much of the opposition has been on the basis that it ‘betrays our heritage’ or is a ‘foreign imposition’. However as a schoolboy then engineer - who has used not just metres and kilograms, but watts, farads, joules and newtons (all international units named after British scientists) - I have always thought we should be proud of using the metric system.

Having learned more about the history of the metric or international system of units I am dismayed that most British people are unaware of the substantial contribution our scientists and metallurgists have made. In particular how 19th Century metallurgists in London helped make the first international kilograms and metres.
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