On May 21, 2008, at 9:14 AM, Daniel Carrera wrote:
John W Kennedy wrote:
On May 21, 2008, at 4:29 AM, Daniel Carrera wrote:
The metre was never based on the distance from Paris to the North
Pole. It was based on the meridian measured from the equator to
the North Pole.
Specified as being taken along a line /through/ Paris, however.
Does that make a difference for the length of the metre? I can't
immediately see how some parts of the equator can be further from
the north pole than other parts of the equator. To my knowledge, the
very definitions of north pole and equator ensure that the north
pole is equidistant to all points in the equator. Unless the
definition of metre included terrain features like mountains and
valleys. I sure hope it didn't.
I honestly don't know what they had in mind, but I have always seen it
quoted as being on the Paris meridian.
--
John W Kennedy
"...if you had to fall in love with someone who was evil, I can see
why it was her."
-- "Alias"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
