In answer to Adrian's question (below) about the symbol L for litre, here is
the pertinent section of the BIPM document "The International System of
Units (SI)", 7th edition, 1998, pages 131-132:
begin direct quote
__________________________
16th CGPM, 1979, Resolution 6: symbols for the litre
The 16th Conference General des Poids et Mesures (CGPM,
recognizing the general principles adopted for writing the units symbols in
Resolution 7 of the 9th CGPM (1948),
considering that the symbol l for the unit litre was adopted by the Comite
International des Poids et Mesures (CIPM) in 1879 and confirmed in the same
Resolution of 1948,
considering also that, in order to avoid the risk of confusion between the
letter l and the numeral 1, several countries have adopted the symbol L
instead of l for the unit litre,
considering that the name litre, although not included in the System
International d'Unites, must be admitted for general use with the System,
decides, as an exception, to adopt the two symbols l and L as symbols to be
used for the unit litre,
considering further that in the future only one of these two symbols should
be retained,
invites the CIPM to follow the development of the use of these two symbols
and give the 18th CGPM its opinion as to the possibility of suppressing one
of them.
(NOTE: The CIPM in 1990 considered that it was still too early to choose a
single symbol for the litre.)
_________________________________
end of direct quote
> From: Adrian Jadic <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: [USMA:9252] Usage of L for liter abbreviation
>
> Does anyone know what is the story behind this capitalization?
> I know that the SI tolerates the use of capital L for liter but I see more
> and more attempts to use capital letters for metric abbreviations in the US.
> ...
> Is there an objective reason for using L instead of l
> in North America?
>
> Adrian
