cubic VVV

[Wilson Gray]

Jim,

Maybe your comment wasn't pertinent, but it *was* interesting. It's
this kind of thing that makes America great! ;-)

-Wilson

On 9/29/05, James Smith <jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       James Smith <jsmithjamessmith at YAHOO.COM>
> Subject:      Re: cubic VVV
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Chris,
>
> Point well made.  I should have used a more current
> and accurate "Accurate current reference".  The
> 1971-1972 CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics still
> has 1 liter = 1000.028 cubic centimeters.
>
> But, as a deciliter is a tenth of a liter, a liter
> must be exactly ten deciliters.  I was not trying to
> define the liter but pointing out a simple rational
> relationship; frankly, looking back through the thread
> of this discussion, I don't recall why I thought it
> was even pertinent!
>
> --- Chris Waigl <cwaigl at FREE.FR> wrote:
>
> > James Smith wrote:
> >
> > >No, actually a liter is the volume of exactly 1 kg
> > of
> > >pure water at 3.98 °C and under a pressure of 1
> > atm.
> > >It is also exactly ten deciliters.
> > >
> > It can't be both. It would also be improper to
> > define an SI unit in two
> > different, (potentially and actually) conflicting
> > ways.
> >
> > >However, because
> > >of a measurement error early in the merification
> > >process, 1 liter equals 1.000027 cubic decimeters.
> > >Within the limits of accuracy for most real-world
> > >measurements, the difference is negligible.
> > >Accurate current reference works give 1 liter =
> > >1.000027 cubic decimeter = 1000.027 cubic
> > centimeters
> > >and 1 milliliter = 1.000027 cubic centimeter.
> > >
> > >
> > What you are describing is the state of affairs
> > between 1901 and 1964.
> > In 1964, the liter reverted to its original
> > definition as exactly 1
> > cubic decimeter = 1000 cubic centimeters = 1/1000
> > cubic meter.
> >
> > Meanwhile, in 1960, the meter, too, was redefined
> > without reference to
> > the meter bar (which itself was build with reference
> > to a measurement of
> > the earth's meridian; an alternative reference to
> > periods of a pendulum
> > was used, too, in the 18th century); this definition
> > was again revised
> > in 1983. The current meter definition relies on time
> > measurement only
> > (plus a universal constant).
> >
> > >As I understand - but I may be mislead on this part
> > of
> > >the tale - in the original metric scheme there was
> > no
> > >liter, the cubic centimeter was the standard of
> > volume
> > > and the liter came to be because of this
> > measurement
> > >error.
> > >
> > >
> > In my understanding, the original liter definition
> > was precise (and
> > identical in its formulation with today's, i.e. it
> > didn't rely on any
> > measurements), but it was the kilogram definition
> > that depended on the
> > precise measurement of the mass of 1 liter of pure
> > water at a given
> > temperature and atmospheric pressure. That's where
> > the measurement error
> > struck. Even today, with the iridium cylinder that
> > serves as the
> > kilogram standard, the kilogram is still the iffiest
> > SI base unit. There
> > are several proposals for a redefinition, one of
> > which will without
> > doubt be adopted one day.
> >
> > (The liter is not the standard of volume. That's the
> > cubic meter.
> > "Liter" is just a shorthand for 1/1000 m^3.)
> >
> > Chris Waigl
> >
> > --
> > blog:      http://serendipity.lascribe.net/
> > eggcorns:  http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/
> >
>
> James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
> South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
> jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
>                                |or slowly and cautiously.
>
>
>
>
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--
-Wilson Gray