And here is the BIPM's version of the saga of the kilogram: http://www.bipm.org/en/si/history-si/name_kg.html
Ezra P.S. Thanks for pointing this out, Jesse. I had no idea. Too bad they can't adopt your suggestion and rename the kilogram the "grave" (to be pronounced "grahv"). -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: "Ziser, Jesse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Surprised no one else has mentioned this: the original metric unit of mass > was > the "grave", equal > to one kilogram. Its symbol was G. Unfortunately for all of us, it was > eventually noticed that > "grave" sounded like "Graf", an aristocratic German title. And we all know > how > the French in the > 1790s felt about aristocrats... > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_%28mass%29 > > --- Stan Jakuba <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > I wish I had kept a record. There were several different suggestions in > > each > > class - hundreds altogether, some serious. Among the latter, I recollect > > that the "new gram", symbol G (for kg) was almost always brought up. I > > considered it feasible but unrealistic for various reasons. Among those > > reasons, however, it was not the potential confusion with giga (GG would be > > fine) because there seems to be no confusion with tera and tesla (TT), for > > example. > > If I hear some exemplary ones, I'll post them. > > Stan > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > > Sent: 08 Jan 28, Monday 15:01 > > Subject: [USMA:40273] Re: kg > > > > > > > So, Stan, what were the best of the lot? > > > Ezra > > > > > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > > > From: "Stan Jakuba" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >> In engineering classes, I always challenge students to come up with a > > >> name > > >> for the historical anomaly - the unit kilogram (to help them remember > > >> how > > >> to > > >> formulate derived units with kg). Over the years, there were some > > >> rational > > >> suggestions but I remember only the one provided by a female student of > > >> the > > >> name Vicky: kilogram = vicky, symbol V. She however, ruled out the use of > > >> GV. The mV and �V were okay. > > >> Stan J. > > >> PS: In case you wonder - yes, she was NOT an electrical engineer! > > >> > > >> ----- Original Message ----- > > >> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > > >> Sent: 08 Jan 28, Monday 12:48 > > >> Subject: [USMA:40266] Re: Tonnes > > >> > > >> > > >> >I much prefer and recommend kkg rather than Mg because it is closer to > > >> >coherent SI. Since kg is already an exception as a unit symbol, > > >> >violation > > >> >of the "no double prefix" rule is not a problem in this case. > > >> > > > >> > Gene. > > >> > > > >> > ---- Original message ---- > > >> >>Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:26:23 -0500 > > >> >>From: "Stan Jakuba" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >> >>Subject: [USMA:40261] Re: Tonnes > > >> >>To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > > >> >>Cc: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > > >> >> > > >> >>Yes, of course. Thank you Bill. Sorry for the typo. > > >> >> > > >> >>----- Original Message ----- > > >> >>From: "Bill Hooper" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >> >>To: "Stan Jakuba" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >> >>Sent: 08 Jan 27, Sunday 13:33 > > >> >>Subject: Re: [USMA:40211] Re: Tonnes > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >>> > > >> >>> On 2008 Jan 26 , at 4:00 PM, Stan Jakuba wrote: > > >> >>> > > >> >>>> Anybody can and will be comfortable with MG if the other nicknames > > >> >>>> disappear. > > >> >>> > > >> >>> Ooops! You meant "Mg", did you not? > > >> >>> > > >> >>>> Let's be consistent among us to start with, and expand our horizons > > >> >>>> outside the English speaking word. SI is the ultimate goal and these > > >> >>>> silly modifications, some with the blessing of BIPM, are only > > >> >>>> complicating things and fuel anti-metric sentiments in the US. > > >> >>> > > >> >>> I whole heartedly agree. > > >> >>> > > >> >>> > > >> >>> Bill Hooper > > >> >>> 73 kg body mass* > > >> >>> Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA > > >> >>> > > >> >>> * plus or minus a kilogram or so. > > >> >>> > > >> >>> > > >> >>> > > >> >> > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________________ > ____ > Be a better friend, newshound, and > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. > http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ >
