How was the unit gram derived?

Answer 1

The French Academy of Science adopted the gram measure in 1795. Origination of the name gram is has been variously assigned but lost to history prior to this. They determined a kilogram to be the weight of one cubic decimeter of water, thus the gram 1/1000 of this.

1670

Gabriel Mouton, Vicar of St. Paul's Church in Lyons and an astronomer, proposes a metric system. Authorities credit him as the originator of what was to become the metric system. The gram was not proposed by him but the meter was.

Answer 2

Originally (in 1795), the gram was defined as the mass of one cubic centimeter of pure water at the temperature of melting ice.

Today, the gram is defined as one thousandth of a kilogram. The kilogram is defined as the mass of one cubic decimeter (one liter) of pure water at 4 °C (the temperature of maximum density for water). However, the standard for the kilogram is a specific artifact. The International Prototype Kilogram (the IPK) is one small cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy which was fabricated in 1879. The IPK is kept in a climate-controlled vault at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), outside Paris.

Answer 3

The unit gram was derived from the Latin word "gramma," which means small weight. It was introduced in the late 18th century as a metric unit to measure mass based on the weight of one cubic centimeter of water at 4 degrees Celsius.

Answer 4

1 litre of pure water weighs 1 kilogram. 1/1000 of 1 kilogram or 0.001 kilogram is 1 gram.

Answer 5

Yes, though it is not easy to think of a situation where it would be useful.