During the 18th century, there were many different systems of measurement in Europe. One of them was the English system, using inches, feet, and miles, which we in America still use today.
In 1791, a group of French scientists proposed a new measurement system based on the number ten. The new system would be easier to use than the older systems, and could be used by people in all countries, making trade between nations easier.
The standard measure of length, called the meter, was defined as one ten-millionth of the shortest distance between the equator and the North or South Pole. It happened to be equal to 39.37 inches.
The meter was divided into ten parts, called decimeters; the decimeter was divided into ten centimeters; and the centimeter was divided into ten millimeters. The standard measure for large distances was the kilometer, equal to a thousand meters.
It wasn’t until 1875 that the measurement system based on the meter, the metric system, was accepted by many countries in Europe. Today, only the United States and a handful of small countries still use measurement systems other than the metric system.
Related Posts
-
How Is the Official Standard For the Meter Determined and Is the Prototype Platinum Bar Still In Sèvres France?
For many years, the international standard for defining all units of length was the meter as defined by the distance between two scratches on a platinum-iridium bar. The bar is stored in a…
-
How do officials know if a runner does a false start in an Olympic 100 meter sprint?
A one-hundred-meter race lasts about ten seconds, so the difference between first and last place may be mere tenths of a second. The incentive is high to get out of the starting blocks…
-
Who Invented the Yard and How Did the Unit of Measurement Originate?
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems, and an international yard is equal to 3 feet, 36 inches, or 0.9144 metres. The word yard comes from the Old English…
-
What Is a Parsec, How Long Is a Parsec, and Who Invented the Parsec As a Unit of Measurement?
A parsec (pc) is a measure of incredibly large astronomical distance. The word comes from the phrase parallax second. Parallax means the change in a star's relative position in the sky when viewed…
-
Why Is the Measurement On the Outside Scale of a Clear Measuring Cup More Than If You Look Inside?
The curved surface of a clear measuring cup, either glass or plastic, acts as a simple convex lens, very much like the ones in eyeglasses. The light rays passing through the cup are…
-
Why Hasn’t the U.S. Switched To the Metric System of Measurement?
Among all the nations of the world, only four great powers, Brunei, Myanmar (Burma), Yemen, and the United States of America, have not yet adopted the metric system of measurement. Is it possible…
