[Cheesecake_Marmalade]

Why? To me, any system of measurement is going to be arbitrary because it was pulled out of your ass.

[Thunderhawk]

Yes, but water freezes and boils differently at 0 feet vs. 10,000 feet, or at similar different pressures. Thus, *c is not a constant in all situations.

Celsius is constant, water's freezing temperature is not.

Celsius = Kelvin - 273.15
kelvin range is defined by: theorhetical absolute zero = 0K, to the triple point of water = 273.16K

Generally, the freezing point of water at standard pressure, is zero degrees C.


Every military and legitimate scientific organization, sans third world shit holes, uses Metric, including those in the USA. Do you really think the world would have made that kind of mistake if Celsius varied?

[Dr House]

Any modern country should be using the Metric system. It is easy to use and everything is divisible by 10. Anyone can learn it quite easily.

I am not going to say "kilometer" when I could say "mile" in my daily life and you cannot fucking make me.

[Godstud]

To me, any system of measurement is going to be arbitrary because it was pulled out of your ass.

Thank you for the example of talking out of your ass, C_M.

International System of Units is the official system of measurement for all nations except for Myanmar, Liberia, and the United States(isn't it nice to be sPeCiAl?). However, a number of other jurisdictions have laws mandating or permitting other systems of measurement in some or all contexts, such as the United Kingdom — where the Traffic Sign Regulations only allow distance signs displaying Imperial units (miles or yards) or Hong Kong.

The metric system has been around for 100s of years and not just a recent invention created to frustrate Americans.

Reasons for it?
1. The Metric System is simple to understand. The simplicity of a base 10 system of measurement, such as the Metric System, makes it extremely easy to understand especially when dealing different scales of measures, such as meters versus kilometers. For example, it is obvious that 100 meters is 1/10 of a kilometer.

2. Calculations in the Metric System are also easier. This is why most researchers, doctors, and scientists use the Metric System even in the United States.
How many pounds are there in 100 ounces? How many feet are there in a mile? Which is greater: 5.5 pints, 94 fluid ounces, or 3 quarts? How many square yards are there in an acre?

3. The Metric System is the international standard. Since over 90% of the world uses the Metric System, it is by default the international standard.

4. Accuracy and prevent redundancies. N.A.S.A. actually lost a $125 million dollar spacecraft, called the Mars Climate Orbiter, over the planet Mars, because one team was using the Metric System and another team was using the Imperial System. That was a very costly mistake that could have been avoided.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Climate_Orbiter
The metric/imperial mixup which destroyed the craft was caused by a software error back on Earth. The thrusters on the spacecraft which were intended to control its rate of rotation, were controlled by a computer which underestimated the effect of the thrusters by a factor of 4.45. This is the ratio between a pound force - the standard unit of force in the imperial system - and a newton, the standard unit in the metric system. The software was working in pounds force, while the spacecraft expected figures in newtons; 1 pound force equals approximately 4.45 newtons.

The software had been adapted from use on the earlier Mars Climate Orbiter, and was not adequately tested before launch. The navigation data provided by this software was also not cross-checked while in flight. The Mars Climate Orbiter thus drifted off course during its voyage and entered a much lower orbit than planned, and was destroyed by atmospheric friction.

How many pounds are there in 100 ounces? How many feet are there in a mile? Which is greater: 5.5 pints, 94 fluid ounces, or 3 quarts? How many square yards are there in an acre?
All easy things to know when done in metric.

[Demosthenes]

How many pounds are there in 100 ounces? How many feet are there in a mile? Which is greater: 5.5 pints, 94 fluid ounces, or 3 quarts? How many square yards are there in an acre?
All easy things to know when done in metric.

Not that I'm disputing you but: 1) 6.25 lbs. 2) 5280 feet. 3) 5.5 pints = (apx) .65 gal. , 94 fl. oz. =.73 gal. 3 quarts = .75 gal... Meaning 3 quarts is the greatest volume. Finally 4840 sq. yards to an acre.

It's not that hard when you've grown up with it, but again, Metric is even easier.

[Godstud]

1) 6.25 lbs. 2) 5280 feet. 3) 5.5 pints = (apx) .65 gal. , 94 fl. oz. =.73 gal. 3 quarts = .75 gal... Meaning 3 quarts is the greatest volume. Finally 4840 sq. yards to an acre.

I doubt very much you did that without a calculator and if you did Kudos to you as very few people could. I grew up with both and couldn't really give accurate results.
Apx. does indicate a guess too whereas in metric there would be no need to approximate.

[Vladimir]

Because in cold climates, the weather can reach temperatures of... oh look at that, 0 degrees faranheit!

no it's because fahrenheit is annoying and retarded

Yes, but water freezes and boils differently at 0 feet vs. 10,000 feet, or at similar different pressures. Thus, *c is not a constant in all situations.

I think on top of the highest mountains the points are a couple degrees lower, but the difference is negligible in most places people live. Beside fahrenheit isn't exempt from the flaw either ...

[Zagadka]

I think on top of the highest mountains the points are a couple degrees lower, but the difference is negligible in most places people live.

Not quite true. Boiling water takes measurably longer at 10,000 feet.

[Vladimir]

you're right the boiling point does jump a lot at different heights, however the freezing/melting point doesn't shift much at all

[Thunderhawk]

Higher elevations have lower atmospheric pressures which means less energy is needed for water molecules to go over the hump for a phase change. => water boils at lower temperature. Cooking takes much longer as the boiling point is lower (and thus liquid water doesnt get any hotter)

If it takes longer to boil water at higher elevation, its probably due to the lower temperature of the air and the air being thinner making the fire less intense.



The Freezing point does change noticably (a few degrees) at really really high pressures.

[Andres]

The electronvolt should be the only unit in use. Everything should be measured in it.

[Cheesecake_Marmalade]

Thank you for the example of talking out of your ass, C_M.

Oh really? So there's some kind of evolutionary precedent for using metric? Was metric bestowed on us by the gods? Do animals use metric in their day to day calculations?

Just because a system of measurement makes practical sense, that doesn't mean it wasn't just pulled out of someone's ass.

[Demosthenes]

I doubt very much you did that without a calculator and if you did Kudos to you as very few people could. I grew up with both and couldn't really give accurate results.
Apx. does indicate a guess too whereas in metric there would be no need to approximate.

Meh, I was just showing off a little, I know some of this stuff from work in medical a few years ago. The toughest one was actually the square yards to an acre. That took some work...

Not going metric is simply stubborness.

[Cheesecake_Marmalade]

But all that is a complete obfuscation. We're not disputing going metric. Hell, we're not even disputing using Celsius. We just want to be able to use Imperial if we so choose.

I'm just itching to use the word "fascism" in a derogatory way right now.

[ingliz]

Nobody is stopping you but metric is the standard measure and so "caveat emptor". Any disputes involving 'imperial' - short weight, short measure, things not fitting, etc., as long as the metric specifications are marked correctly, you will lose at law .

[Demosthenes]

Actually we should create a whole new system based on the length of a snippet of Ingliz's hair. We'll call the standard measure the "Ingliz", and we'll develop the units for volume and weight the same way. A volume of his blood, and the weight of his body. We should make sure this system is completely and totally arbitrary and defies all previous standard measurements world wide. Then we can fuss when all those other backwater hell holes can't do our measurements right.

Our standard for temp and scientific measure shall be the Andres...

So, who's for the Ingliz system?

AYE!

[Falx]

If we choose not to use metric we are in good company:


Anyway we should take something from here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_units
for our measurement system. I have a soft spot for Heaviside-Lorentz but plank is more useful in everyday quantum calculations on which most of todays technology is based.

And don't listen to anders, theoretical particle physicists are evul

[Dr House]

If we choose not to use metric we are in good company:

We are. One of the countries listed represents a third of the developed world population, and a fifth of the entire world's GDP.

[Vladimir]

If it didn't use imperial it probably would twice over exceed those criteria

[Falx]

One of the countries listed represents a third of the developed world population, and a fifth of the entire world's GDP.

And occasionally crashes space crafts into planets as a result. Now onto the glory that is Burma and Liberia...