History Metric system

1 history

1.1 original metric system
1.2 international adoption
1.3 international standards

history



john wilkins who, in 1668, published essay proposing decimal system of measurement

in 1585 flemish mathematician simon stevin published small pamphlet called de theinde ( tenth ). decimal fractions had been employed extraction of square roots 5 centuries before time, nobody used decimal numbers in daily life. stevin declared using decimals important universal introduction of decimal weights, measures , coinage matter of time.

one of earliest proposals decimal system in length, area, volume , mass linked each other made john wilkins, first secretary of royal society of london in 1668 essay essay towards real character , philosophical language . proposal used pendulum had beat of 1 second basis of unit of length. 2 years later, in 1670, gabriel mouton, french abbot , scientist, proposed decimal system of length based on circumference of earth. suggestion unit, milliare, defined minute of arc along meridian. suggested system of sub-units, dividing successively factors of ten centuria, decuria, virga, virgula, decima, centesima, , millesima. ideas attracted interest @ time, , supported both jean picard , christiaan huygens in 1673, , studied @ royal society in london. in same year, gottfried leibniz independently made proposals similar of mouton.

in pre-revolutionary europe, each state had own system of units of measure. countries, such spain , russia, saw advantages of harmonising units of measure of trading partners. however, vested interests profited variations in units of measure opposed this. particularly prevalent in france huge inconsistency in size of units of measure 1 of causes that, in 1789, led outbreak of french revolution. during years of revolution, savants including marquis de condorcet, pierre-simon laplace, adrien-marie legendre, antoine lavoisier , jean-charles de borda set commission of weights , measures. commission of opinion country should adopt new system of measure based on principles of logic , natural phenomena. logic dictated such system should based on radix used counting. report of march 1791 assemblée nationale constituante considered rejected view of laplace duodecimal system of counting should replace existing decimal system; view such system bound fail prevailed. commission s final recommendation assembly should promote decimal-based system of measurement. leaders of assembly accepted views of commission.

initially france attempted work other countries towards adoption of common set of units of measure. among supporters of such international system of units thomas jefferson who, in 1790, presented document plan establishing uniformity in coinage, weights, , measures of united states congress in advocated decimal system used traditional names units (such ten inches per foot). report considered not adopted congress.

woodcut dated 1800 illustrating new decimal units became legal norm across france on 4 november 1800


original metric system

the french law of 18 germinal, year iii (7 april 1795) defined 5 units of measure:

the mètre length
the are (100 m) area [of land]
the stère (1 m) volume of stacked firewood
the litre (1 dm) volumes of liquid
the gramme mass.

this system continued tradition of having separate base units geometrically related dimensions, e.g., mètre lengths, (100 m) areas, stère (1 m) dry capacities, , litre (1 dm) liquid capacities. hectare, equal hundred ares, area of square 100 metres on side (about 2.47 acres), still in use. metric system included few prefixes milli (one thousandth) myria (ten thousand).

originally kilogramme, defined being 1 pinte (later renamed litre) of water @ melting point of ice, called grave; gramme being alternative name thousandth of grave. however, word grave, being synonym title count , had aristocratic connotations , renamed kilogramme. name mètre suggested auguste-savinien leblond in may 1790.

france officially adopted metric system on 10 december 1799. although decreed use mandatory in paris year , across provinces following year, decree not universally observed across france.

international adoption

areas annexed france during napoleonic era first inherit metric system. in 1812, napoleon introduced system known mesures usuelles, used names of pre-metric units of measure, defined them in terms of metric units – example, livre metrique (metric pound) 500 g , toise metrique (metric fathom) 2 metres. after congress of vienna in 1815, france lost territories had annexed; some, such papal states reverted pre-revolutionary units of measure, others such baden adopted modified version of mesures usuelles, france kept system of measurement intact.

in 1817, netherlands reintroduced metric system, used pre-revolutionary names—for example 1 centimetre became duim (thumb), ons (ounce) became 100 g , on. german states adopted similar systems , in 1852 german zollverein (customs union) adopted zollpfund (customs pound) of 500 g intrastate commerce. in 1872 newly formed german empire adopted metric system official system of weights , measures , newly formed kingdom of italy likewise, following lead given piedmont, adopted metric system in 1861.

the exposition universelle (1867) (paris exhibition) devoted stand metric system , 1875, 2 thirds of european population , close half world s population had adopted metric system. 1872, principal european countries not have adopted metric system russia , united kingdom.

by 1920, countries comprising 22% of world s population, english-speaking, used imperial system or closely related customary system; 25% used metric system , remaining 53% used neither.

in 1927, several million people in united states sent on 100,000 petitions backed metric association , general federation of women s clubs urging congress adopt metric system. petition opposed manufacturing industry, citing cost of conversion.

international standards

in 1861 committee of british association advancement of science (baas) including william thomson (later lord kelvin), james clerk maxwell , james prescott joule introduced concept of coherent system of units based on metre, gram , second, which, in 1873, extended include electrical units.

seal of international bureau of weights , measures (bipm)

on 20 may 1875 international treaty known convention du mètre (metre convention) signed 17 states. treaty established following organisations conduct international activities relating uniform system measurements:

general conference on weights , measures (cgpm), intergovernmental conference of official delegates of member nations , supreme authority actions;
international committee weights , measures (cipm), consisting of selected scientists , metrologists, prepares , executes decisions of cgpm , responsible supervision of international bureau of weights , measures (bipm);
international bureau of weights , measures (bipm), permanent laboratory , world centre of scientific metrology, activities of include establishment of basic standards , scales of principal physical quantities , maintenance of international prototype standards.

in 1881 first international electrical congress adopted baas recommendations on electrical units, followed series of congresses in further units of measure defined , international electrotechnical commission (iec) set specific task of overseeing electrical units of measure. followed international congress of radiology (isr) who, @ inaugural meeting in 1926, initiated definition of radiological-related units of measure.

in 1921 metre convention extended cover units of measure, not length , mass , in 1933 8th cgpm resolved work other international bodies agree standards electrical units related international prototypes. since 1954 cipm committee oversees definition of units of measurement, consultative committee units, has representatives many international organisations including isr, iec , iso under chairmanship of cipm.

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