The International System of Units: From whale fat candles to universal constants
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Summary
Ben Stein explores the International System of Units (SI), the foundation of modern metrology that ensures consistency across all scientific measurements. While today's SI definitions are based on universal constants like the speed of light and Planck's constant, the article delves into the quirky historical origins of units like the candela (originally based on a whale fat candle), the kilogram (still defined by a physical prototype until recently), and other unusual standards. The piece examines how the system has evolved from these idiosyncratic beginnings to the current rigorous, constant-based framework, while noting that some charming quirks remain embedded in the system's history and definitions.
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bskyThe International System of Units: From whale fat candles to universal constantsphysicsworld.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledThe International System of Units is the foundation of metrology, ensuring that all units across science are consistent.
The candela unit was initially defined in terms of a single candle made from whale fat, with a bit of beeswax to improve the burn, but it quickly became apparent that it was not a reproducible standard.
In among the strict modern definitions based on universal constants, there are some unusual quirks.
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