HOW was the metric system created?

Answer 1

The "Metric System" is a decimal system of measures based on the metre.

More broadly, the "Metric System" is a decimal system of measures and weights based on ten.

Many countries have converted to a metric system for weights, measures and currency making calculations much more simple than all of the antiquated systems.

Answer 2

Developing societies needed a fixed value for size, length, weight, and so forth to standardize barter terms. Each civilization created or adapted standards for their use. The modern English and metric units are based on those original standards.

Answer 3

There were many ways of measuring, but all measurement required the invention of a standard unit to begin with to which all other units were compared.

Length: this was usually the length of a particular part of the body.

For example - the length of a foot. We still use 'feet' today of course especially in the USA. Inches were originally the width of the thumb, which then became the length of three corns of barley. A hand was the width of a palm. We still use hands in measuring horses today. Yards were the length of the nose to the tip of the middle finger of the outstretched arm. A pace was the distance covered in walking from the distance from the toe of the right foot to the toe of the same foot when placed on the ground again. A furlong (still used in horsefacing) was how long a furrow could be ploughed in a field by a single hand plough in a day. One thousand paces was called a millia (from the Latin for a 'thousand') from where we get our term 'mile'. Eventually all the slightly different measurements (as we all have different sized bodies!) were standardised so that the king's measurement was taken as the standard.

The modern metric system of metres was originally based on the circumference of the earth as the standard which was divided and sub divided into millionths, ten millionths and so on to obtain convenient length units. Eventually measuring sticks (we now call them 'rulers') were made to enable measurement to be done anywhere.

Mass (or 'weight').

The pound again was a standard weight chosen to represent a particular weight of material. In the metric system the standard kilogram is kept in a temperature controlled laboratory at Sevres, Paris against which all other standard kilograms are compared for accuracy.

With regard to pounds, 10 pounds of water is galled a UK gallon, so that a pint of water weighs 1 1/4 pounds. A kilogram of water takes up one 'litre'

Weight was originally measured by scales consisting of two pans. Into one pan went standards weights and in the other went the object to be weighed. By adding or removing weights the final weight (approximately) of the object could be found when the scales balanced. Nowadays, though, much more accurate scales (or balances) are made and are electronic and computerised. There are now capable of measuring easily to 0.00000001 kg.

Time

The basic unit of time was originally the day - the time that the earth rotated on its axis. This was subdivided into 24 hours, each of which were subdivided into 60 minutes and 60 seconds. The units of time have not changed for centuries unlike other units.

However the way time was measured has changed. Originally it was a simple stick in the ground which indicated, by its shadow, the very approximate time. Intervals of time (eg hours) were measured by ingenius deviced such as graduated candles which indicated the hour as they burned down, or containers of water that steadily emptied. Then came sundials that worked again by the sun. In medieval times primitive clocks making use of horizontally swinging vanes and weights were made (such as the oldest clock in existence in Salisbury Cathedral, UK), and then pendulum clocks were invented, where the time was recorded by a swinging pendulum (such as grandfather clocks) which, in turn were replaced by a balance wheel (a wheel that rotated backwards and forwards on a spring) and some even used tiny Tuning Forks to provide the time measurement. Nowadays, digital watches use the vibrations in a quartz crystal when electricity is applied to it, to use as a timing device. The most accurate clocks now use caesium atoms and measure the wavelength they give off - atomic clocks are accurate to one second in many thousands of years.

These three examples give some idea of how some measurements and measuring devices came to be. If you would like to have any specific examples, message me and I'll do my best to help.

Answer 4

They would have been introduced for consistency and fairness in trade. If a farmer brought a sheep to market and wanted to sell it for olive oil (this is before money was invented) He might have been offered X bottles of olive oil for it. The next trader would possibly say "But I'll give you X + 15 bottles for it. Now the first trader comes back and says "I'm still offerring X bottles but his bottles are smaller than mine. How is the farmer to know which deal is the best exchange for his sheep? They need a standard sized bottle, or a weighing system - or maybe even both.

Answer 5

they took a ruler and like they dont thought it just had pajas

Answer 6

Unites originally derive from physical activity.

i don't know that's why i am asking

Answer 7

go figure out yourself, don't use this website to answer your ied hw like i did :) so go do some research!

Answer 8

Because u need to measure ur thingy