Author Topic: The New Kilogram  (Read 2858 times)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
The New Kilogram
« on: 09 November, 2018, 03:33:37 pm »
Blimey! Given the nature of many of the members of this august forum, it has come as a bit of a shock that there doesn't seem to be a sub-board for issues relating to Science & Technology. We have one to do with The Arts (glad they are a priority!) but Sci & Tech seem to have been missed out (other than that they seem to raise their heads in all sorts of other places...)

It appears that the kilogram is about to be redefined, in order to save scientists' blushes should ET ever drop in to tea.

Quote
It is enough to irk metrologists. “If aliens ever visit Earth what else would we talk about other than physics?” said Schlamminger. “If we want to talk about physics we have to agree on a set of units, but if we say our unit of mass is based on a lump of metal we keep in Paris, we’ll be the laughing stock of the universe.”

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/nov/09/in-the-balance-scientists-vote-on-first-change-to-kilogram-in-century

Let's hope that they make it bigger, so that I can claim to have lost weight...
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #1 on: 09 November, 2018, 03:53:23 pm »
A Kibble balance sounds as if it should be used for weighing pet food.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Ben T

Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #2 on: 09 November, 2018, 04:19:36 pm »
The real reason they're doing this is because the kilogram keeps getting lighter every year, this is because the french keep getting it out and polishing it, which rubs a few atoms off each time.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #3 on: 09 November, 2018, 04:27:17 pm »
The real reason they're doing this is because the kilogram keeps getting lighter every year, this is because the french keep getting it out and polishing it, which rubs a few atoms off each time.

People should really learn to resist the urge to get these things out to play with at lunchtime.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/32779CpfymI&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/32779CpfymI&rel=1</a>
https://youtu.be/32779CpfymI

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #4 on: 09 November, 2018, 04:28:09 pm »
The real reason they're doing this is because the kilogram keeps getting lighter every year, this is because the french keep getting it out and polishing it, which rubs a few atoms off each time.

This^^^

No need for shiny kilograms post Brexit, we should become the keepers of the slightly tarnished but accurate reference weight, along with our reputation and the longitude line
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Phil W

Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #5 on: 09 November, 2018, 04:33:48 pm »
Aliens are probably using pounds and ounces anyway.

Ben T

Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #6 on: 09 November, 2018, 07:03:41 pm »
The real reason they're doing this is because the kilogram keeps getting lighter every year, this is because the french keep getting it out and polishing it, which rubs a few atoms off each time.

People should really learn to resist the urge to get these things out to play with at lunchtime.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/32779CpfymI&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/32779CpfymI&rel=1</a>
https://youtu.be/32779CpfymI

;D exactly!

Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #7 on: 09 November, 2018, 10:02:49 pm »
I do feel sorry for the BIPM. They had one of the most important buildings in the world for over 150 years, even the Germans respected it when they overran Parris in 1940. Now the building and its contents are irrelevant. Any lab anywhere in the world can produce an accurate kilogram (which is the entire point of this redefinition).
I wonder what will happen to the IPK? Will they just chuck it in a skip or will it get displayed in the French equivalent of the Science Museum?
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #8 on: 09 November, 2018, 10:08:05 pm »
I wonder what will happen to the IPK? Will they just chuck it in a skip or will it get displayed in the French equivalent of the Science Museum?

It's Friday night; it's bowling night at the BIPM...

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #9 on: 09 November, 2018, 10:16:00 pm »
This is too weighty a subject for the Pub.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #10 on: 10 November, 2018, 12:09:51 am »
I do feel sorry for the BIPM. They had one of the most important buildings in the world for over 150 years, even the Germans respected it when they overran Parris in 1940. Now the building and its contents are irrelevant. Any lab anywhere in the world can produce an accurate kilogram (which is the entire point of this redefinition).
I wonder what will happen to the IPK? Will they just chuck it in a skip or will it get displayed in the French equivalent of the Science Museum?

Interesting that the Kg is still based off a prototype, when it's basis is derived from a volume of water defined from the Metre.
And the Metre has been redefined repeatedly due to improving abilities to create a more accurate specification from which the distance can always be created from.

The ultimate kick in the teeth for those that like the old English Imperial system that took over the empire and off shoots, is that they are now also defined from the appropriate Si units...

Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #11 on: 10 November, 2018, 12:31:39 am »
Aliens are probably using pounds and ounces anyway.

That's no way to refer to our American friends!

Slightly OT, but US weights - pounds, ounces etc are actually standardised from the Kilogram. There are plenty of vids on YouTube explaining this. I seem to remember Tom Scott doing one such video a while ago....

Edit: The video I was actually thinking of was by Derek Muller. My bad... Is America Actually Metric?
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #12 on: 10 November, 2018, 09:32:21 am »
After Brexit we can have pounds, ounces, inches and fathoms back.  Bless you, Sir Nigel, you amphibian-faced legend.

 ;)
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #13 on: 10 November, 2018, 12:33:49 pm »
This is too weighty a subject for the Pub.
It's gonna be massive.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #14 on: 10 November, 2018, 12:35:25 pm »
The real reason they're doing this is because the kilogram keeps getting lighter every year, this is because the french keep getting it out and polishing it, which rubs a few atoms off each time.
I thought the point was that it loses a little when they polish it and gains at other times, so they don't know overall whether it's getting bigger or smaller nor by how much, they only know it isn't what it used to be.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #15 on: 10 November, 2018, 06:00:35 pm »
There will be a live Youtube channel of the open meeting on Friday if anyone wants to tune in.

https://www.bipm.org/en/the-si/

Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #16 on: 10 November, 2018, 08:59:36 pm »
The real reason they're doing this is because the kilogram keeps getting lighter every year, this is because the french keep getting it out and polishing it, which rubs a few atoms off each time.
I thought the point was that it loses a little when they polish it and gains at other times, so they don't know overall whether it's getting bigger or smaller nor by how much, they only know it isn't what it used to be.

Couldn't they just weigh it?

...er... oh, I see.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #17 on: 10 November, 2018, 09:09:09 pm »
If it weighs the same as a duck, it must be made out of wood, and therefore...

Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #18 on: 11 November, 2018, 08:13:01 am »
Hang on a second. The French are mostly Catholic, right? So, once their kilograme is officially dead, what service will they hold ?  ;D

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: The New Kilogram
« Reply #19 on: 11 November, 2018, 10:22:40 am »
If they flog it on eBay, the shipping cost will be just over 1kg including packaging.  I hate it when that happens and it goes into the next price band.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.