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why is the US not Metric

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bsfeechannel:

--- Quote from: KL27x on January 02, 2020, 09:42:46 pm ---I am not going to quote your entire post, because it was redundant the first time around, Captain Obvious.

The speed of light is in meters per second to you. But in America we realize that the speed of light is ALSO
983,571,088 ft/s
1.08085305 E10 inches/s
704,227,509 miles per hour
582,856,941 knots

In another 50 years you might figure this out. :palm:

--- End quote ---

You still don't get it. It is the meter that is defined by the speed of light, not the other way around. And the meter is defined by arbitrarily setting the speed of light at 299792458 m/s.

The meter is an SI BASE UNIT, upon which many useful units and even your stupid foot/inch/mile/knot depend.

You still think there is some rod somewhere defining its quantity. There is not.

I don't hope you understand this not even in the next 50 years. The metric system is already too advanced for those whose brain has been damaged by years of the misconceptions that orbit the imperial practice.

And since metric keeps evolving with science, technology and engineering, those countries that rightly decided to fully metricate themselves are updated, while those who decided to resist are still living in the metrological dark ages.

Hold my beer, while I weep for you.


--- Quote ---You can call it "millimetric precision," but in machining, that is called garbage.

--- End quote ---

That's why we have the µm. If you're not satisfied with that, try the nm.

Tepe:

--- Quote from: cs.dk on January 02, 2020, 08:02:38 am ---There is indeed 400 grads compasses. I think the military used that system long time ago.

--- End quote ---
I have a 400 grad Silva compass from my scouting days. It must be from about 1973.

KL27x:
Bsfeechannel:

--- Quote ---You still don't get it. It is the meter that is defined by the speed of light, not the other way around. And the meter is defined by arbitrarily setting the speed of light at 299792458 m/s.
--- End quote ---
We do not arbitrarily adjust the speed of light, dummy. We measure it. In units that are arbitrarily sized.

If we arbitrary define the speed of light, we could just make it 1, instead of 299792458. This light-second would be the basis of our measuring system. And it would be way more logical to make the meter a base ten division of this light second. But no. The meter has already been arbitrarily defined to divide the surface of the earth into grads. So we get this odd number. And God didn't happen to make the earth to the size where the circumference is cleanly divisible by 400 when measured in light-second units.

If the meter is defined by the speed of light, the inch is also defined by the speed of light. It's a logical truth. The inch is defined by the meter, the meter defined by the speed of light. Therefore, the inch is defined by the speed of light. It's called logic. Same way a kilometer is defined by the speed of light. Give it another 50 years, and it might sink in. If you think there's a fundamental difference between meters and inches because of the SI definition of the speed of light, you are a curious specimen which I am happy to be able to investigate.


--- Quote ---You still think there is some rod somewhere defining its quantity. There is not.
--- End quote ---
I understand that the prototypes do not define the units, at this moment in time. But thanks, Captain. The US was a contributor to the current definitions, and you are welcome.


--- Quote ---That's why we have the µm. If you're not satisfied with that, try the nm.
--- End quote ---
Again, our thanks, Captian Obvious. You are chock full of enlightenment. You are a national treasure. Very intelligent. I am positive you got lots of gold stars in 4th grade physics and math. And it has possibly gone to your head.

I will quote my own post, since you consistently ignore the 99% actual content of my posts in an attempt to nitpick inconsequential bullshit.

--- Quote ---IOW, the precision to which you make something has nothing to do with the units you choose to use. But it does have an effect on the numbers you end up working with and to. In America we use whichever is easier for the job, whether that's "millimetric precision LOL" or otherwise.
--- End quote ---
Just as a for instance, we might spec and make a part to 1 thous precision and flatness. In metric you might call it plus or minus 20 micrometers? The one part isn't more precise than the other due to the measuring system. It just changes how you describe it and the numbers you end up having to use/know.

unitedatoms:
I wonder if speed of light relationship to meter is involving requirement to have gravity field of earth. There is something time dilation something relativistic there in physics.

SkyMaster:

--- Quote from: bsfeechannel on January 02, 2020, 10:47:10 pm ---...
The meter is an SI BASE UNIT, upon which many useful units and even your stupid foot/inch/mile/knot depend.

...

--- End quote ---

I feel the need to point out that knot and nautical mile have nothing to do with the US or the Metric system.

The knot and nautical mile are used in aviation (and probably still in use in maritime operation) all over the world, and that work just fine.

The nautical mile is a beautiful unit of measure (for its intended application). The nautical mile is not an arbitrary unit like most imperial units are  ;)

Please, carry on.

 :)

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