Standard for Meter and Kilogram

Subject: Standard for Meter and Kilogram

Date: Wed Sep 1 17:29:20 1999
Posted by No name entered.
Grade level: 10-12 School: No school entered.
City: No city entered. State/Province: No state entered. Country: No country entered.
Area of science: Science History
ID: 936221360.Sh

Message:


I have a question about the meter and the kilogram.  I know that, 
originally, the standard for the meter was 1/10,000,000 the distance from 
the North Pole to the Equator.  My question is, how was the distance from 
the North Pole to the Equator determined in the first place?  My second 
question involves the Kilogram.  Why is a platinum metal cylinder used to 
measure the mass of one kilogram, instead of the weight of water.  It seems 
like the weight of water would be more exact, etc.
Thanks

Re: Standard for Meter and Kilogram

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