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Topic: Metric System  (Read 17839 times)

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Offline Donaldson Tan

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Re:Metric System
« Reply #15 on: August 04, 2005, 08:36:41 PM »
Quote from: Mitch on August 04, 2005, 06:10:01 PM
Light years is an other example. Way more convenient for astronomers to talk in light years than 10^17meters

don't astronomers use parasec to measure inter-stellar distances? instead of using kg, it's more practical to express the mass of stars and planets in term of solar mass. even chemist/physicist use a.m.u to measure the mass of nuclei?
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Offline Borek

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Re:Metric System
« Reply #16 on: August 04, 2005, 08:45:27 PM »
Ease of use, complete range coverage, universality (additional units based on existing ones, like volume measured in units based on meter).
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Offline Borek

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Re:Metric System
« Reply #17 on: August 04, 2005, 08:54:03 PM »
Quote from: geodome on August 04, 2005, 08:36:41 PM
don't astronomers use parasec to measure inter-stellar distances?

AFAIK both ly and pc are used.

Quote
instead of using kg, it's more practical to express the mass of stars and planets in term of solar mass. even chemist/physicist use a.m.u to measure the mass of nuclei?

In many situations it is much more convenient to use some specific scale, like mole. However, metric system is a common denominator that makes any conversion easier, faster, and less prone to errors. It doesn't make sense to measure anything in different units, it doesn't make sense to measure everything using the same units. Some balance is needed.
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Offline Mitch

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Re:Metric System
« Reply #18 on: August 04, 2005, 10:45:30 PM »
Its also easier to measure pressure at sea level as 1 atmosphere rather than the "proper" SI equivalent of 1013250dynes/cm2.
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Offline lemonoman

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Re:Metric System
« Reply #19 on: August 04, 2005, 11:16:24 PM »
Is the dyne a metric unit?  I thought is was Pascals...but maybe I'm cofusing SI with metric...?
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Offline xiankai

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Re:Metric System
« Reply #20 on: August 05, 2005, 02:09:09 AM »
for your qn no.3 ... list all the examples in real life which show the efficiency of the metric system, easiest way to fill up an essay with pointless information  :P

as for dynes... i though pressure was measured in pascals/newton squared metres?

dyne seems to me like the centimeter version of newtons.
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Offline AngelShare

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Re:Metric System
« Reply #21 on: August 05, 2005, 12:19:24 PM »
Quote from: xiankai on August 05, 2005, 02:09:09 AM
for your qn no.3 ... list all the examples in real life which show the efficiency of the metric system, easiest way to fill up an essay with pointless information  :P

as for dynes... i though pressure was measured in pascals/newton squared metres?

dyne seems to me like the centimeter version of newtons.

That's what I was going to do but my mind is blank...what could a scientist be doing? How on Earth am I to guess what a scientist may be doing with the metric system? :D

Stupid question... :P
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Offline xiankai

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Re:Metric System
« Reply #22 on: August 05, 2005, 12:45:38 PM »
everyday applications like figuring out much is needed for a cooking recipe, calculating your daily calorie intake, etc.

it doesnt have to be lab-based; heck, most people visualise scientists in white coats working with test-tubes in a lab. check out our member gallery photos and u'll know there's more to meets the eye than it is.  ;D

if u really want to be specific, u can try what Borek said
Quote from: Borek on August 04, 2005, 08:45:27 PM
Ease of use, complete range coverage, universality (additional units based on existing ones, like volume measured in units based on meter).
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