What can be cooked from squid: quick and tasty
no commentsConversion tables for feet and inches to centimeters (height) and pounds to kilograms (weight).
Hello my dear readers! We all know " Golden Rule»Internet shopaholic:
"Carefully study the reviews of your new brand or product before you buy it!"
How often have you seen such reviews:
"I'm 5 ′ 8 ″ 180 and the large was huge on me, the length is above the ankles but well below the knee. I’ve always had a small waist for my size even after gaining 25lbs over the ... "
« I'm a very large woman ( 5'6 ″ tall and 260lbs... Size 48DDD chest. I wanted a long dress that was basic and comfy vs a »moo-moo» This thing fit the bill. Of… «
“I bought one in every color! I am petite ( 5 ′ 2 ″) and I like that it comes right across the tops of my feet! Pairs perfectly with… "
What do these numbers, unusual for the Belarusian eye, mean? Just height and weight (yes, not parameters (90-60-90), as is customary in our country, but weight).
To measure length, Americans use feet and inches, and to measure weight - pounds... So, the first review given as an example was written by a person with a height of 173 cm and a weight of 82 kg (5 ′ 8 ″ 180).
If you, like me, do not like to study the reviews of happy and not very American buyers with a calculator in your hands, then here is a glorious table for converting feet and inches to centimeters to help us all:
If you need a different length that does not fit in the table, you still have to arm yourself with a calculator:
1 Foot = 30.48 cm
1 Inch (Inch) = 2.54cm
I still have not learned to navigate in the size of clothes by the weight of a person. But, suddenly, you are in this guru? Then this table for converting pounds to kilograms will help you:
1 Pound = 0.454 kg
Here is such a short, but hopefully useful article.)))
P.S. Ask all your questions in the comments to this article - I will be happy to answer them! And don't forget SHOP CLANG, so as not to miss new interesting articles!
The text of the work is placed without images and formulas.
Full version work is available in the tab "Files of work" in PDF format
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………… .3
Chapter 1. What is a measure of length? .......................................... ..............................4
Chapter 2. Measures of length in the past in different countries ……… ... ……………… ..5
Chapter 3. Ancient Russian measures of length …………………………………… 7
Chapter 4. Modern measures of length… ... …………………………………… .11
Conclusion ……………………………. …………………………………… .13
List of used literature…. …………………………………… 14
INTRODUCTION
It is impossible to imagine the life of a person who does not make measurements: these are tailors, mechanics, and ordinary schoolchildren. What existed before the ruler, meter, was invented? How did the measures of length appear? What measures of length are used in European countries? I answered these questions in my design work.
purpose of work - list and analyze the measures of length that existed in Russia and in European countries.
Tasks:
Find and analyze scientific and methodological literature on the topic of work.
Find out what measures of length were used by our ancestors in Russia and in other countries.
List modern measures of length.
Make a conclusion.
CHAPTER 1. WHAT IS A LENGTH MEASURE?
Measure - a way of determining the quantity by the unit adopted. A linear, linear measure is used to indicate distances or the size of lines. (V. Dahl)
Measures of length - used to reproduce lengths of a given size. Measures of length are subdivided into dashed, end and bar-end measures. (Physical encyclopedia).
Measures of length — used to reproduce lengths of a given size; are subdivided into dashed, end and bar-end. The dimensions of the line measures of length (rods, tapes, wires, etc.) are determined by the distance between the lines applied to them. (Big Encyclopedic Dictionary).
Measures of length - Egyptian system The most ancient: Fur (elbow) = 7 shespam = 52.3 cm. Shesp (palm) = 4 tebam = 7.47 cm. You (finger) = 1.87 cm. Egyptian system (from 5 to 1 centuries BC inclusive): Atur ordinary = 3 miles = 5.235 km. Atur royal = 1 1/2 parasangam. (Encyclopedia of Mythology)
CHAPTER 2. OLD LENGTH MEASURES IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Have ancient Egyptians the main measure of length was elbow (the distance from the end of the fingers to the bent elbow). It was divided into seven palms, and the palm into four fingers. The number of elbows was different.
In ancient Egypt, exemplary measures were invented: elbow, palm, finger. Now it did not matter how long a person's elbow or palm was, he measured not with his own, but with his common elbow, i.e. conditional stick.
Ancient arabs the standard of length was considered hair from a donkey's muzzle.
V England there were also units of length associated with parts of the human body:
inch (2.5cm) translated from Dutch means "thumb";
foot (30cm or 12 inches) from English "leg";
yard is the distance from the nose of King Henry I to the end of the middle
finger of his outstretched hand.
The British still use royal foot equal to the length of the king's foot, by the yard - its length is 0, 9144 m.To measure small lengths, the length of the thumb joint was used - inch. In England, the meaning of an inch is legalized as the length of three grains of barley. In English everyday life, the measure is still used barley grain ... In English practice, there was also such a measure as plowman's good stick .
V Rome in use was a measure equal to a thousand double steps, which received the name mile .
Many peoples measured the length with steps, double steps, canes.
Very long distances were measured by transitions, halts and even days.
V Of Japan there was a measure called horse shoe ... It was equal to the distance during which the straw sole tied to the horse's hooves would wear out.
For many peoples, the distance was determined by the duration of the flight of an arrow or cannonball. In the old days, many units of length were associated with weapons. Nautical league - a measure equal to the range of a cannon shot with which the ship can be fired (1 naval league = 5560 m). V Indidhanush - a measure equal to the distance between the ends of the bow (1 dhanush = 183 cm). V Persinease - a measure equal to the distance that the spear thrown by the warrior flies (1 neise = 4 - 5 m).
V Chinain , among the ancient Slavs shootout - a measure equal to the distance traveled by an arrow fired from a bow (1 yin = 32 m).
Measure equal to the length of the foot
The smallest ancient measure in Europe An inch is a measure equal to the length of the upper phalanx of the thumb. 1inch = 2.54cm The largest ancient measure in Europe A mile (from the Latin word mille - thousand) is a measure equal to a thousand double steps (1 mile = 1478.7 m). In the Anglo-American system of measures, Land mile = 1609 m. Sea mile = 1852 m.
CHAPTER 3. OLD RUSSIAN LENGTH MEASURES
In the old days, Russian measures of length were based on the sizes of different parts of the human body.
Fly fathom - 1.76m - the distance between arms outstretched to the sides.
Oblique fathom - 2.48 m - the distance from the heel of the right leg to the toes of the extended left hand.
Arshin - the measure of length in a number of countries, in Russia since the 16th century, is equal to 16 vershoks (71cm).
Elbow - the distance from the end of the fingers to the bent elbow.
Span - an old measure of length, equal to the distance between the stretched thumb and forefinger.
Inch - Russian pre-metric unit of length (1 inch = 2cm54mm).
Foot - a unit of length in the Russian system of measures (1 foot = 1 / 7th of the back = 12 inches).
Vershok - originally equal to the length of the phalanx of the index finger.
Long distances on land used to be measured in Russia in versts .
1 verst is equal to 1 km 67m.
Mile - a unit of length that was widespread in national non-metric systems of units and is now used mainly in maritime affairs. 1 mile (sea) = 1.852 km; in the UK, 1 mile (sea) = 1.853 km, 1 mile overland (charter) = 1.609 km (also currently used in the USA). Old Russian mile = 7.468 km.
The system of uniform measures in the Russian state basically took shape by the end of the 17th century.
CHAPTER 4. MODERN LENGTH MEASURES
Nowadays, to measure length, we use a measure called a meter. The meter is the basic unit of the metric system. The metric system was adopted in France at the end of the 18th century. Then the meter was defined as one ten-millionth part of the area of the earth's meridian from North Pole to the equator. The metric system gradually replaced local and national systems in other countries and in 1875 was legally recognized in 17 countries, including Russia. The International Commission on the meter in 1872 decided to take the "archival" meter, stored in Paris, "as it is" as the standard of length. But it is very inconvenient to constantly go to Paris to check with the reference meter. Therefore, since 1983, a meter is equal to the distance that light travels in a vacuum in 1/299792458 of a second.
Long distances are usually measured in kilometers. In the word kilometer Kilo means thousand meters. When writing, this unit is designated as follows: km. 1 km = 1000 m.
Meter is a unit of length that is larger than a centimeter or even a decimeter. In meters, you can measure the length and width of a room, the distance between houses, the amount of fabric purchased, the length of a piece of wallpaper. In this case, for example, a tape measure is used to measure the length of a room. The meter is designated as follows: m. Roulettes are of different lengths. The seller uses a wooden ruler called a tailor's meter.
The lengths of the segments and the distance between two points can be measured using a regular ruler, giving results in dm and cm.
Decimeter - a tenth of a meter.
Centimeter - one hundredth of a meter.
1 dm = 10 cm
1 cm = 10 mm
Sections 1 cm long are divided on a ruler by small strokes. Each of the segments is divided into 10 equal parts. The length of each such part is equal to one millimeter.
Millimeter is a unit of length. It is designated as follows: mm.
CONCLUSION
In our work, we have listed and analyzed the measures of length that existed in Russia and European countries. They gave examples and illustrated some of the ancient measures of length.
In the course of our work, we studied such ancient measures of length as:
Fly fathom
Oblique fathom
Now we will know more about old measures of length in Russia and other countries, which will be useful to us in the future in various lessons at school.
The goal of the work has been achieved.
LIST OF USED LITERATURE
N. Ya Vilenkin "Behind the Pages of a Mathematics Textbook". Publishing house "Education", 1989
N. Ya. Vilenkin "Mathematics" grade 5, textbook for educational institutions. 21st ed., Erased. - M .: Mnemosina, 2007.
Magazine " Primary School", 2004 # 6
http://slovorus.ru
http://www.iro.yar.ru/resource/distant/math/metrol_3.htm
Despite the invention of the decimal system, which is now used by the whole world, American and English measures of length are often found in everyday life. Let's take the diagonal of the TV. In the technical passports, warranty coupons, the size in inches is indicated everywhere. The same applies to the diameter of pipes, sizes of tools, bolts, nuts. In order not to look stupid in situations with unfamiliar values, you need to have an idea of the main ones.
Measures of length
Our ancestors did not have digital and magnetic devices capable of measuring the required value. Therefore, for convenience, they used the yardstick of their own body, that is, what is always with them. They were feet, fingers, elbows, steps, palms.
- Mile as the most popular value, adopted throughout the world to indicate the distance of air and land routes.
1 mile (mil) = 1609 m
1 nautical mile = 1852 m
- The main size of the American system is considered to be a foot.
1 foot (ft) = 30.48 cm
The foot value is native to England. This value measured a distance equal to 16 feet and it was called a stock (stock).
- Size inch was popular in all European countries before the introduction of the SI system. It was calculated by the length of the joint of the thumb or its width at the base.
1 inch (in) = 25.4 mm
It is believed that the size of an inch was determined by three grains of barley, laid along one after the other. According to another version, the component of an inch was 1/36 of a yard, which was established by King Henry I in 1101. Its length was equal to the distance from the middle finger of his right hand to the tip of his nose.
- Yard was originally adopted as average length step.
1 yard (yd) = 0.9144 m
- Line - used in military science to indicate the caliber of a weapon.
1 line (ln) = 2.12 mm
- League... The meaning of the league has long been used in naval battles to determine the distance of a cannon shot. Later it began to be used for land and postal affairs.
1 league = 4.83 km
Measures rarely used in daily life
1 mil = 0.025 mm
1 hand = 10.16 cm
1 genus = 5.029 m
1 chain = 20.12 m (for surveyors) and 30.48 m (for builders)
1 furlong = 201.17 m
1 faton = 1.83 m
1 ale = 1.14 m
1 pace = 0.76 m
1 qubit = 46-56 cm
1 bed = 22.86 cm
1 link = 20.12 cm (for surveyors) and 30.48 cm (for builders)
1 wing = 11.43 cm
1 nail = 5.71 cm
1 barleycorn = 8.47 mm
1 point = 0.353 mm
1 cable = 219.5 m (in England it is 183 m)
Most popular units
The United States is the only developed country that has abandoned the metric system. In addition to the States, 2 more countries do not use the SI system, these are Liberia and Myanmar.
Once in this country, do not be surprised if, in cold, damp weather, you ask how many degrees outside, and you will be told that plus 32. Just 0 degrees Celsius, this is the American 32 Fahrenheit. When driving to a gas station, remember to convert liters to gallons. Our 3.78 liters are equivalent to a gallon unit.
- Barrel Is a measure of volume for bulk materials and liquids.
Translated from English means barrel. In the world, calculating oil in barrels is recognized as the most convenient, therefore oil companies set prices in dollars per barrel.
1 barrel (bbl) = 158.9 liters
1 dry barrel = 115.6 liters
Especially for calculating the volume of beer in the UK, the concept of a beer barrel was introduced. Its value changed over time and depended on the type of drink (ale or beer). The value has finally been established since 1824 and amounted to 163.66 liters per 1 barrel.
- Bushel- a measure of volume for dry matter in agriculture (measured the volume of grain, vegetables, fruits). In international trade, a bushel is taken for a container weighing 18 kg.
1 bushel (bu) = 35.24 liters
- Gallon- the same as the barrel. The gallon, in turn, is subdivided into a pint and an ounce.
1 gallon for liquid (gl) = 3.79 dm 3
1 gallon for bulk solids (gl) = 4.4 dm 3
1 pint = 1/8 gallon = 0.47 dm 3
1 oz = 1/16 pint = 29.57 ml
An ounce has retained its value since ancient times and was approximately equal to 30 g. In the American system, the concept of an ounce is widely used in the pharmaceutical and jewelry business.
- Quart- unit of measure for the volume of a container, equal to ¼ gallons
1 quart for liquid = 0.946 liters
1 quart for solids = 1.1 liters
Area measures
The greatest distribution in world literature is found by a square acre.
Its original designation was used to calculate the area of land that one peasant with one ox could cultivate.
Converting an acre to SI is easy. If we divide the number by 10, we get the result in meters. And if divided by 2 - in hectares.
1 inch (sq. In) = 6.45 cm 2
1 foot (sq. Ft) = 929 cm 2
1 yard (sq.yd) = 0.836 m 2
1 mile (sq.mi) = 2.59 km 2
1 acre (a) = 4046.86 m 2
Volume measures
What is the volume for?
- to describe the capacity of household appliances
- for shipping containers
- to determine the amount of gas
- to describe the capacity of commercial warehouses
Most often, the foot is used as a measure of three-dimensional space. A cubic foot is defined as the volume of a cube, with an edge of 1 foot. Less commonly, yard and inch values are used.
To get a cubic volume, you need to multiply the length, height and width.
1 ton (register) = 2.83 m 3
1 yard = 0.76 m 3
1 foot = 28.32 dm 3
1inch = 16.39cm 3
Weights
- Pound - Used as a measure of weight and to describe mass.
In the United States, pounds are used to express pressure per square inch. The pound is also used to describe the weight of ammunition (shells, shells, bullets).
To convert pounds to kilograms, you need to divide the number of pounds by 2.2
1 lb (lb) = 453.59 g
- An ounce is a measure of weight that has found application in jewelry, banking, for determining the weight of precious metals and stones, as well as in the pharmaceutical industry.
To convert an ounce to kilograms, you need to divide its quantity by 35.2
1 ounce (oz) = 28.35 g
- Stone is a unit of measurement used to describe the weight of the human body..
1 stone (st) = 6.35 kg
- Short Ton - A measure of weight equivalent to 2000 pounds... In the United States, it is also known, but practically not used, a long ton, which is equal to 2,240 trading pounds.
1 short ton = 907.18 kg
1 long ton = 1016 kg
If you are traveling to America, check out the local standard of measure. Thus, you will avoid embarrassing situations and choose the right question that interests you. You don't have to memorize numbers to do this. It is enough to download a simple converter to your phone.
Units of measurement in the United States. When you go to childbirth in the USA (you can read about why they are going to give birth in the USA), you will have to live in this country for some time, enjoy its benefits and put up with some, not always convenient, features. This is not to say that the inconveniences are significant, rather it is a matter of habit, but some of them can practically lead to a stupor. First of all it comes about the system of measurements adopted in the USA.
Forget the centimeters, meters, liters, kilograms, grams, degrees Celsius that are familiar to us - most Americans have only heard about them, but have no idea how many kilograms they weigh and how many liters can fit in the gas tank of their car. It would be only half the problem if local units of measurement were formed according to the same system as in the metric scale - 1000 grams per kilogram, 1000 kilograms per ton, 100 centimeters per meter, and so on. Here everything is completely different and there is no system, you just need to memorize.
Why did it happen? A small excursion into history. As you know, the United States at one time was predominantly a British colony and, accordingly, the United States adopted the same system of measures as in Great Britain - the imperial one. The units of measurement were formed simply, for example, a foot is the length of the king's foot, a gallon is the size of a standard jug for wine at that time, etc. In this form this system and migrated to the USA. It is curious that the officially imperial measurement system currently exists only in three countries - the United States, Liberia and Myanmar. In Great Britain itself, where the imperial system of measurement comes from, the metric system has formally been adopted for a long time.
So, your baby was born in the USA, in the hospital immediately after giving birth, they weighed, measured and told you that your baby weighs, for example, 6 Lb (pounds) and 5 Oz (ounces), and his height was 22.5 In (inch). You are interested in his temperature, and the nurse tells you that the baby's temperature is normal, a little over 98 degrees. How to be? Of course, we exaggerate a little - all medical workers, unlike ordinary people, are familiar with the metric measurement system and easily convert data into the form we are used to, but nevertheless, local units of measurement need to be understood, if not by heart, at least. After all, the speed on the road signs is indicated in miles, the rented car you will fill up with gallons of fuel, the goods in the stores will be weighed in pounds, and the baby's temperature will be measured in Fahrenheit (if you did not take your usual thermometer in Celsius with you from home). Below we list the basic units of measurement that you will have to deal with regularly when traveling to America for childbirth.
- 1 mile - 1609 meters
- 1 foot (foot) - 0.304 meters
- 1 inch (inch) - 2.54 cm.
- 1 sq ft - 0.09 m2. Apartments are measured in feet. To make it easier to understand, 100 ft2 is a little over 9 m2.
- 1 acre - 0.405 hectares
- 1 lb (Lb) - 454 grams. Pay attention, the weight in stores is indicated in pounds. Therefore, the price per pound of apples is about 2.2 times less than the price per kilogram.
- 1 ounce (Oz) - 28.3 grams
Liquid:
- 1 gallon - 3.78 liters
- 1 pint (Pt) - 0.47 liters
- 1 ounce (Oz) - 29.5 grams
Temperature. With the temperature, it is more and more difficult and it will be difficult for you to calculate exact numbers without a calculator, so it is easier to just memorize a few values that generally reflect the situation. For example, a body temperature of 98 degrees is the norm. 100 degrees outside is hot, 70 is nice, 32 is zero Celsius and everything below is frosty. It is worth noting that most of the manufacturers of goods in the United States have recently duplicated information in the metric system on their products, so you can go shopping without a calculator.
And by the way, the date in the USA is also written differently - first the month is indicated, then the date, at the end of the year.
We will be happy to organize your trip to the United States for childbirth, we have been working for a long time, transparently and professionally. You can familiarize yourself with the prices for our services.
We also provide additional services of assistance in the preparation of Russian and American documents and provide excursion support in the state of Utah.
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Regions that do not use the metric system as the main one are marked in red. Not many countries, right?
The most difficult thing when moving to America, most immigrants consider the transition to a different system of measurements: instead of the usual meters, degrees Celsius and kilograms, people are completely overwhelmed. new world, in which all the usual realities are measured completely, from their point of view, illogical.
But one bike says that the United States actually had the opportunity to live according to the metric system, but they were prevented from doing this ... by the British pirates!
This story was published by the Washington Post newspaper, along the way lamenting that Americans still have the opportunity to "change their minds" and switch to a "more understandable, simple and logical" metric system - or, as it is now called, the International System of Units (fr. Le Systeme International d'Unites, SI).
However, we are talking about the times when the Parisian scientists decided for the first time to bring all units of measurement with a single system. To this end, they invited the American Congress to come to a general agreement. At the time, Thomas Jefferson was Secretary of State, who welcomed the unification of the measurement system. So in 1793, a ship was sent from Paris towards America, on which the botanist and aristocrat Joseph Dombey was carrying two metric standards: a rod exactly one meter long and a copper cylinder weighing exactly one kilogram.
Unfortunately, on the way across the Atlantic, the ship with Dombey on board was caught in a storm, and were eventually brought by the current into the Caribbean - right into the hands of the local pirates. In fact, the pirates did not consider themselves as such: they were British subjects, who were given permission by the Queen herself to attack any non-British ships. But in essence, they were still piracy. So the French crew, along with the academician, were imprisoned (Joseph Dombey did not last long in captivity and soon died), and all the property found on the ship, including the standards, was sold at auction.
US copy of the 1 kg standard.
But this is of course just a bike ...
It is believed that the SI system was never approved in the United States. She is so invisible in this country that a person who does not go into details can get such an impression. But it is absolutely not true! A number of acts have been passed establishing it as the official system of weights and measures of the United States. How, then, did it happen that Americans still use ancient units of measurement? The fact is that all adopted acts are advisory (not mandatory) for private business and ordinary residents of the country. This means that every American has the right to measure with the usual inches and weigh in pounds familiar from childhood. And this right is enjoyed not only by people, but also by giant corporations.
There are only three countries in the world that have not yet switched to the SI system. These are the USA, Liberia and Myanmar (until 1989 - Burma). The rest of the peoples of the world either switched to the metric system completely, or at least officially adopted it as a standard. Another thing is how things are among the people. In Russia, even now, in conversation, they can call a kilometer a "verst", but at the same time everyone clearly understands that we are talking about the most ordinary metric kilometer, and not about the old Russian verst.
But in the United States, the old folk system of measures and weights is used not only in everyday life. Football fields are measured in yards. Work done by car engines in outlandish foot-pounds. Atmospheric pressure is in pounds per square inch.
Instead of the international SI system, the United States uses the U.S. Customary System It includes more than three hundred units of measurement of various physical quantities. The difficulty lies in the fact that many of these units of measurement are named the same, but mean completely different things.
Here is the simplest and most understandable for everyone, even those who are very far from engineering wisdom. It would seem, what can be difficult in a ton? This is a thousand kilograms and nothing else! But in the US, there are at least nine definitions of ton: short ton, displacement ton, refrigeration ton, nuclear ton, freight ton , register ton, metric ton, assay ton, fuel ton or ton of coal equivalent.
And despite all these obvious difficulties, neither in business nor in Everyday life The United States does not use a simple, clear and unambiguous metric system. The reasons for this lie, as is often the case, in the history of this country.
At first, the attitude of the United States to the metric system was determined by its relationship with France.
In the colonies of Britain, the British Imperial System was used (British Imperial System). At the end of the 18th century, the metric system was developed in France. Which, of course, was not accepted by either Britain itself or its colonies.
When the United States gained independence, attempts were made in the country to streamline the measurement system. But they rested, as is often the case, in the financial issue. Thomas Jefferson, who served as US Secretary of State under George Washington, favored the decimal system. But it turned out that it would be impossible to determine the metric units of length without sending a delegation to France. And that was a costly affair.
Relations with France, which had supported the United States in its struggle for independence, entered a cooling stage after 1795. When in 1798 France invited representatives of various countries to familiarize themselves with the metric system, Americans were faced with disdain for themselves.
And, nevertheless, representatives of the United States visited Paris and were delighted with the metric system. But the likelihood of convincing the country's leaders of the need to switch to new system weights and measures, coming from France, was very weak. In 1821, US Secretary of State John Quincy studied the units of measurement of 22 states in the country and concluded that the U.S. The Customary System is fairly unified and does not need to be changed.
In France, Napoleon reigned, and the Americans had doubts that the French themselves would remain faithful to the system of measures and weights they had created. As a result, consideration of the metric system in the United States stopped at this historical stage. But this does not mean that they did not return to it again and again as the SI system gained more and more recognition in the most different parts of our vast world.
In 1865, the United States ended Civil War... The Americans looked around and found that most European countries had switched to the decimal metric system. And this obvious fact in the United States could no longer be ignored. In 1866, the country's Congress passed an act, according to which the metric system became official for use in all contracts, transactions and lawsuits.
Nine years later, France brought together representatives from the world's leading countries to discuss the details of a new international version of the metric system. The United States received an invitation and sent a delegation. The representatives of these countries signed an international convention, founding the International Bureau of Weights and Measures and the International Committee for Weights and Measures, whose tasks were to consider and adopt changes.
The agreement provided for the creation of French city Cervay, near Paris, a special hall, where the standards of metric standards, in particular the standard of the meter, should have been placed. This made it possible to avoid difficulties in understanding by different peoples what exactly is meant by a particular unit of measurement.
In 1890, the United States received copies of the international standard for the meter and the international standard for the kilogram. By the Mendenhall Ordinance (named for the Superintendent of Weights and Measures), metric units were adopted as the fundamental standard for length and mass in the United States. The yard was defined as 3600/3937 meters and the pound as 0.4535924277 kilograms.
In 1959, English-speaking countries made some adjustments: 1 yard equated to 0.9144 meters, and 1 pound to 0.4535923. That is, formally, the United States has already adopted the metric system for 145 years as the standard of measures and weights, and for about 120 years in this country everything should be measured in meters and kilograms. But, as practice shows, making a decision does not mean its implementation in real life.
Many prominent scientists and politicians in the United States were supporters of the compulsory metric system for the entire country. In 1971, it looked like the United States would finally be among the countries to adopt the metric system. The National Bureau of Standards released the Metric America report recommending that the country switch to metric within ten years.
In 1975, Congress passed the Metric Conversion Act, the essence of which was the same as the recommendations of the standards specialists, but with only two important differences. There was no strict time frame and the very transition to the metric system assumed voluntariness. As a result, the country's schoolchildren began to go through the SI system, and some companies made an attempt at "metrification", which turned out to be ineffectual propaganda, since there was no real action to switch to metric units.
It turned out that the United States uses units of measurement that are already forgotten in the rest of the world. An increasing number of consumers of American products began to demand that the supplied goods be accompanied by the indication of characteristics in the metric system. As American companies opened more and more production facilities in Europe and Asia, it became necessary to decide which units to use: metric or traditional American.
Recognizing these complexities, in 1988 Congress amended the Metric Conversion Act to make the metric system "the preferred system of weights and measures in the United States for trade and commerce." At the end of 1992, federal agencies were required to use metric units when measuring quantities related to procurement, grants, and other matters pertaining to business activity. But these instructions concerned only state structures. Private business remained free to use the familiar measurement system. Attempts have been made to interest small businesses in the metric system, but there has been little progress.
Today, only about 30% of the products manufactured in the USA are "metrified". The pharmaceutical industry in the United States is referred to as “strictly metric” because all characteristics of a country's pharmaceutical products are reported in metric units only. Beverages have designations in both metric and traditional US systems of values. This industry is considered "mildly metric". The metric system is also used in the United States by film, tool and bicycle manufacturers. For the rest, in the United States, they prefer to measure in the old fashioned way. In ancient inches and pounds. And this applies even to such a young industry as high technology.
What prevents a highly industrialized country from switching to the system of measures and weights generally accepted on our planet? There are a number of reasons for this.
Conservatism and cost hinder metric conversion
One of the reasons is the costs that would have to be borne by the country's economy in the event of the transition to the SI system. After all, technical drawings and instructions for the most complex equipment would have to be revised. This would require a lot of work of highly paid specialists. And, therefore, money. For example, NASA engineers reported that converting space shuttle blueprints, software and documentation to metric units would cost US $ 370 million, about half the cost of a conventional space shuttle launch.
But the high costs of the transition alone will not explain the cool attitude of Americans to the metric system. Psychological factors play their own, and not the least, role in restraining the country's transition to an international system of measures and weights. The stubborn conservatism of Americans makes them resist any innovation, especially those that come from foreigners.
Americans always love to do things their own way. Individualism is the main feature of the representatives of this people. The descendants of the conquerors of the vast expanses of the Wild West stubbornly reject attempts to force them to abandon their usual childhood inches and pounds.
No high technology can force a person to reconsider their conservative views. For example, commercial mobile communications have been around since 1947. But it only really became interesting in the early 1980s. Events happen only when the consciousness of the average person is ready to accept them. And this, in turn, is possible only if a person sees the meaning in it. And the average American simply does not see much sense for himself personally in the metric system.
Therefore, all efforts to introduce the metric system in the United States run up against the impregnable stronghold of the everyday life of ordinary citizens of the country, who do not want to let in meters and kilograms there. There is another important reason, which we talked about a little earlier. A significant part of the largest corporations in the world are located in the United States. Their products are competitive in the global market, even in spite of the unusual inches and pounds. What's unusual there! The whole world will be very surprised if one day the diagonal of the screen of the next smartphone will be indicated in centimeters familiar from the school bench, and not in inches, seemingly descended from the pages of a history textbook. This means that Americans have no reason to abandon their traditional system of weights and measures.
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Based on materials from science.howstuffworks.com