New rules of measurement
You're referring to the latest updates in the world of measurement!
In 2019, the International Committee for Weights and Measures (ICWM) introduced new definitions for the seven base units of the International System of Units (SI). These changes aimed to improve the accuracy and consistency of measurements across various fields, including science, technology, and everyday life.
Here are the new definitions:
- Meter (m): The meter is now defined as the distance traveled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second. This definition replaces the previous definition based on the wavelength of a specific type of light.
- Kilogram (kg): The kilogram is now defined as the mass of a specific cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy, known as the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK). This definition replaces the previous definition based on the mass of a specific cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy.
- Second (s): The second remains defined as the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
- Ampere (A): The ampere is now defined as the constant current that, if maintained in two parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible resistance, and at a distance of one meter apart in vacuum, would produce a force between them of 2 × 10^-7 newtons per meter.
- Kelvin (K): The kelvin is now defined as the fraction 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water.
- Mole (mol): The mole is now defined as the amount of substance that contains as many particles (atoms, molecules, ions, or electrons) as there are atoms in 0.012 kilogram of carbon-12.
- Candela (cd): The candela is now defined as the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a monochromatic light source that emits light with a frequency of 540 × 10^12 hertz and a power of 1/683 watt.
These new definitions aim to provide a more accurate and consistent basis for measurements, which will have a significant impact on various fields, including:
- Physics and chemistry: Accurate measurements are crucial in these fields, and the new definitions will help to improve the precision of experiments and calculations.
- Engineering: The new definitions will enable more accurate measurements and calculations in fields like mechanics, electromagnetism, and thermodynamics.
- Everyday life: The new definitions will also have an impact on everyday applications, such as navigation, timekeeping, and temperature measurement.
Overall, the new rules of measurement aim to provide a more robust and consistent foundation for scientific and technological advancements, while also improving the accuracy and precision of measurements in various fields.