scholarly journals "What is The SI?” A Proposal for an Educational Adjunct to the Redefinition of the International System of Units

2018 ◽  
Vol 123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil M. Zimmerman ◽  
David B. Newell
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
International System ◽  
Physics Courses ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Elementary Charge ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Base Units ◽  
New System ◽  
Constants Of Nature

We discuss how the impending redefinition of the SI system of units might affect the ability of students to understand the link between the units and the new system. The redefinition will no longer define a set of base units, but rather a set of constants of nature, such as the elementary charge, e. We point out that this list of constants need not be the only way to introduce students to the subject, either in class or in textbooks. We suggest an alternative way to introduce high school and undergraduate students to the redefined SI, by suggesting a list of experiments for some units; this list would be completely compatible with the redefined SI, and would have all of the same scientific and technological advantages. We demonstrate by questionnaire results that this alternative is more appealing to students. We hope to spur a discussion amongst teachers regarding this important topic for high school and undergraduate physics courses.

scholarly journals On the five base quantities of nature and SI (The International System of Units)

2011 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-246
Author(s):  
G. Kaptay
Keyword(s):  
International System ◽  
Fundamental Constant ◽  
Fundamental Constants ◽  
Planck Constant ◽  
Amount Of Substance ◽  
Substance Mole ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Elementary Charge ◽  
Base Units ◽  
Constants Of Nature

It is shown here that five base quantities (and the corresponding five base units) of nature are sufficient to define all derived quantities (and their units) and to describe all natural phenomena. The base quantities (and their base units) are: length (m), mass (kg), time (s), temperature (K) and electric charge (C). The amount of substance (mole) is not taken as a base quantity of nature and the Avogadro constant is not considered as a fundamental constant of nature, as they are both based on an arbitrary definition (due to the arbitrary value of 0.012 kg for the mass of 1 mole of C-12 isotope). Therefore, the amount of substance (mole) is moved from the list of base quantities to the category of the supplementary units (to be re-created after its abrogation in 1995). Based on its definition, the luminous intensity (cd) is not a base quantity (unit), therefore it is moved to the list of derived quantities (units). The ampere and coulomb are exchanged by places in the list of base and derived units, as ampere is a speed of coulombs (but SI defines meter, not its speed as a base unit). The five base quantities are re-defined in this paper by connecting them to five fundamental constants of nature (the most accurately known frequency of the hydrogen atom, the speed of light, the Planck constant, the Boltzmann constant and the elementary charge) with their numerical values fixed in accordance with their CODATA 2006 values (to be improved by further experiments).

scholarly journals Adapting the International System of Units to the twenty-first century

2011 ◽  
Vol 369 (1953) ◽  
pp. 3907-3924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian M. Mills ◽  
Peter J. Mohr ◽  
Terry J. Quinn ◽  
Barry N. Taylor ◽  
Edwin R. Williams
Keyword(s):  
International System ◽  
International Committee ◽  
First Century ◽  
Weights And Measures ◽  
International System Of Units ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Elementary Charge ◽  
Magnetic Constant ◽  
Base Units ◽  
New Si

We review the proposal of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (Comité International des Poids et Mesures, CIPM), currently being considered by the General Conference on Weights and Measures (Conférences Générales des Poids et Mesures, CGPM), to revise the International System of Units (Le Système International d'Unitès, SI). The proposal includes new definitions for four of the seven base units of the SI, and a new form of words to present the definitions of all the units. The objective of the proposed changes is to adopt definitions referenced to constants of nature, taken in the widest sense, so that the definitions may be based on what are believed to be true invariants. In particular, whereas in the current SI the kilogram, ampere, kelvin and mole are linked to exact numerical values of the mass of the international prototype of the kilogram, the magnetic constant (permeability of vacuum), the triple-point temperature of water and the molar mass of carbon-12, respectively, in the new SI these units are linked to exact numerical values of the Planck constant, the elementary charge, the Boltzmann constant and the Avogadro constant, respectively. The new wording used expresses the definitions in a simple and unambiguous manner without the need for the distinction between base and derived units. The importance of relations among the fundamental constants to the definitions, and the importance of establishing a mise en pratique for the realization of each definition, are also discussed.

Quantum Metrology of Electrical Quantities and Mass

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 17-25
Author(s):  
Mun-Seog KIM ◽  
Dong-Hun CHAE ◽  
Kwang-Cheol LEE
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Physics ◽  
Josephson Effect ◽  
International System ◽  
Quantum Hall ◽  
Fundamental Constants ◽  
Planck Constant ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Elementary Charge ◽  
Base Units ◽  
New Si

The new International System of Units (SI) became effective on 20 May 2019. In the new SI, the complete system of units can be traced to seven fixed values of the fundamental constants, not to seven base units as in the old system. Electrical metrology has two important quantum mechanical foundations. Here, we introduce the basics and the metrological applications of the Josephson effect and the quantum Hall effect, which play key roles in linking electrical quantities to the fundamental constants, including the Planck constant h, the elementary charge e, and the transition frequency of cesium 133 ΔνCs. Finally, we discuss the redefinition of the kilogram as one of the important examples of electrical metrology based on quantum physics.

scholarly journals A quantum ampere

2020 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 258-265
Author(s):  
Luca Callegaro
Keyword(s):  
Electric Current ◽  
International System ◽  
International System Of Units ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Elementary Charge ◽  
User Friendly

AbstractThe revision of the International System of Units (SI), implemented since 20 May 2019, has redefined the unit of electric current, the ampere ( A), linking it to a fixed value of the elementary charge. This paper discusses the new definition and the realisation of the electrical units by quantum electrical metrology standards, which every year become more and more accessible, reliable and user friendly.

scholarly journals The kelvin redefinition and its mise en pratique

2016 ◽  
Vol 374 (2064) ◽  
pp. 20150037 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Fellmuth ◽  
J. Fischer ◽  
G. Machin ◽  
S. Picard ◽  
P. P. M. Steur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International System ◽  
Thermodynamic Temperature ◽  
Fundamental Constants ◽  
Primary Thermometry ◽  
A Value ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Mise En Pratique ◽  
Explicit Constant ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Base Units

In 2018, it is expected that there will be a major revision of the International System of Units (SI) which will result in all of the seven base units being defined by fixing the values of certain atomic or fundamental constants. As part of this revision, the kelvin, unit of thermodynamic temperature, will be redefined by assigning a value to the Boltzmann constant k . This explicit-constant definition will define the kelvin in terms of the SI derived unit of energy, the joule. It is sufficiently wide to encompass any form of thermometry. The planned redefinition has motivated the creation of an extended mise en pratique (‘practical realization’) of the definition of the kelvin ( MeP -K), which describes how the new definition can be put into practice. The MeP -K incorporates both of the defined International Temperature Scales (ITS-90 and PLTS-2000) in current use and approved primary-thermometry methods for determining thermodynamic temperature values. The MeP -K is a guide that provides or makes reference to the information needed to perform measurements of temperature in accord with the SI at the highest level. In this article, the background and the content of the extended second version of the MeP -K are presented.

scholarly journals Definition of the mole (IUPAC Recommendation 2017)

2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Marquardt ◽  
Juris Meija ◽  
Zoltán Mester ◽  
Marcy Towns ◽  
Ron Weir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International System ◽  
International Committee ◽  
Fundamental Physical Constants ◽  
Weights And Measures ◽  
Technical Report ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Iupac Recommendation ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Base Units ◽  
Fundamental Physical

AbstractIn 2011 the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) noted the intention of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) to revise the entire International System of Units (SI) by linking all seven base units to seven fundamental physical constants. Of particular interest to chemists, new definitions for the kilogram and the mole have been proposed. A recent IUPAC Technical Report discussed these new definitions in relation to immediate consequences for the chemical community. This IUPAC Recommendation on the preferred definition of the mole follows from this Technical Report. It supports a definition of the mole based on a specified number of elementary entities, in contrast to the present 1971 definition.

RESEARCH ON STABILITY ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL PROTOTYPE KILOGRAM

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 1360004
Author(s):  
XIAOPING REN ◽  
YUE ZHANG ◽  
JIAN WANG ◽  
QINGXIONG REN ◽  
QINGMAO REN
Keyword(s):  
Stability Analysis ◽  
International System ◽  
Calibration Data ◽  
Surface Stability ◽  
Standard Methods ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Modern Mass ◽  
Base Units ◽  
Adjustment Of Parameters ◽  
Measured Mass

Today, the kilogram is the last of the seven base units of the International System of Units (SI) which is based on a physical artifact. The demands of modern mass metrology have led to an increasing focus on the surface stability and analysis of mass standard. Methods for evaluating the correlation between the measured mass values of the prototypes of the kilogram includes: collection of historical calibration data for kilogram prototypes, setting up a model for deterministic and random changes in the mass of a kilogram prototype (relative to the IPK), adjustment of parameters in a model using historical calibration data, and prediction of future mass values of a kilogram prototype using model and adjusted parameters.

scholarly journals The watt balance: determination of the Planck constant and redefinition of the kilogram

2011 ◽  
Vol 369 (1953) ◽  
pp. 3936-3953 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Stock
Keyword(s):  
International System ◽  
Accurate Determination ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Planck Constant ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Macroscopic Quantum Effects ◽  
Watt Balance ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Base Units

Since 1889, the international prototype of the kilogram has served as the definition of the unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI). It is the last material artefact to define a base unit of the SI, and it influences several other base units. This situation is no longer acceptable in a time of ever-increasing measurement precision. It is therefore planned to redefine the unit of mass by fixing the numerical value of the Planck constant. At the same time three other base units, the ampere, the kelvin and the mole, will be redefined. As a first step, the kilogram redefinition requires a highly accurate determination of the Planck constant in the present SI system, with a relative uncertainty of the order of 1 part in 10 8 . The most promising experiment for this purpose, and for the future realization of the kilogram, is the watt balance. It compares mechanical and electrical power and makes use of two macroscopic quantum effects, thus creating a relationship between a macroscopic mass and the Planck constant. In this paper, the operating principle of watt balance experiments is explained and the existing experiments are reviewed. An overview is given of all available experimental determinations of the Planck constant, and it is shown that further investigation is needed before the redefinition of the kilogram can take place. Independent of this requirement, a consensus has been reached on the form that future definitions of the SI base units will take.

scholarly journals Changing the status of mmHg

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Pražák ◽  
Václav Sedlák ◽  
Ekrem Sınır ◽  
František Pluháček
Keyword(s):  
International System ◽  
Medical Doctor ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
International System Of Units ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
The Status ◽  
User Groups ◽  
The Media ◽  
Base Units

AbstractThe new International System of Units (SI) came into force this May, and while the media and public attention are focused on the changes in the base units, there are also other changes introduced. One of them is the abolition of millimetre of mercury (mmHg). This simplifies the SI but also can cause problems to the patients which are extremely conservative user groups (although this unit is still supported by some other authoritative documents). Hence, it is necessary to increase awareness of both the medical doctor and the patients.

scholarly journals A new definition for the mole based on the Avogadro constant: a journey from physics to chemistry

2011 ◽  
Vol 369 (1953) ◽  
pp. 3993-4003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin J. T. Milton
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Uncertainty ◽  
Early Development ◽  
International System ◽  
Atomic Masses ◽  
Amount Of Substance ◽  
Avogadro Constant ◽  
System Of Units ◽  
Considerable Debate ◽  
Recent Addition ◽  
Base Units

The mole is the most recent addition to the set of base units that form the International System of Units, although its pre-cursor the ‘gram-molecule’, had been in use by both physicists and chemists for more than 120 years. A proposal has been published recently to establish a new definition for the mole based on a fixed value for the Avogadro constant. This would introduce consistent relative uncertainties for the molar and the atomic masses while making no change to the system of relative atomic masses (‘atomic weights’). Although the proposal would have little impact on the measurement uncertainty of practical work, it has stimulated considerable debate about the mole and the nature of the quantity amount of substance. In this paper, the rationale for the new definition is explained against the background of changes in the way the quantity amount of substance has been used, from its first use during the early development of thermodynamics through to the use of the ‘number of gram-molecules’ at the end of the nineteenth century.

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