[USMA:52639] RE: The U.S. Isn't as Anti-metric as You Think

[Henschel Mark]

When we get to tons, however, the situation is reversed. If I remember correctly and avoirdupois ton is heavier than a troy ton.
 
Mark

----- Original Message -----
From: Martin Vlietstra <vliets...@btinternet.com>
Date: Monday, April 8, 2013 4:51 pm
Subject: [USMA:52637] RE: The U.S. Isn't as Anti-metric as You Think
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu>

> Question: Which is heavier, an ounce of feathers or an ounce of gold?
> Answer: An ounce of gold because it would be a troy ounce, while
> an ounce of
> feathers would be an avoirdupois ounce.
>
> How many people would believe this?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-u...@colostate.edu [mailto:owner-u...@colostate.edu]
> On Behalf
> Of c...@traditio.com
> Sent: 08 April 2013 19:10
> To: U.S. Metric Association
> Subject: [USMA:52631] The U.S. Isn't as Anti-metric as You Think
>
> The recent exchange on this list about radiological units raises
> a bigger
> point that is often missed in discussions on the metric vs. customary
> systems with the public.  When it comes to most
> measurements, people are not
> as wedded to the customary system as they think.
>
> Outside of a few common measurements in ordinary life -- the
> inch, the mile,
> the pound perhaps -- customary units don't make that much
> difference to
> people.  If you say that the speed of light is 300,000 k/s
> or 186,000 mi/s,
> how many people comprehend either?  The measures are used
> primarily for
> comparison or for standards.
>
> Ask people how many feet there are in a mile.  Most don't
> know.  Ask people
> how many ounces there are in a pound.  Most don't
> know.  Most don't know
> that there is a troy ounce used to measure gold and an
> avoirdupois ounce to
> measure everything else.  Ask people how many ounces there
> are in a quart.
> Most don't know.  Most don't even know that the ounce of
> mass and the ounce
> of fluid are different.
>
> The metric system is a rational system that is easily
> understood, once
> people get past the notion of trying to "convert."  The
> quiz show "Are You
> Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" recently had a third-grade
> question:  "How
> many decimetres are there in a metre?"  This is what puts
> people off using
> the metric system.  When was the last time that you used a
> decimetre?
> Whenever metric measurements have been introduced as a standard,
> there has
> been no public outcry.  Have you heard of any public outcry
> to return to
> measuring pills in grains rather than milligrams?  Have you
> heard of any
> public outcry to return to measuring wine in fluid ounces rather than
> millilitres?  Do people even know how many fluid ounces
> there are in a
> bottle of wine?  Do they even care?
>
> All this folderol about opposition to metric "conversion" is a
> red herring.
> I decided in my daily conversations not to use feet or inches,
> but metres
> and centimetres/millimitres.  Not once has anyone asked me:
> how long is that?
>
> One of the websites that I founded has used SI metric only for
> almost twenty
> years now.  The site has nothing to do with science or
> engineering, but
> social issues.  Most of the readers are from the United
> States.  Not once in
> twenty years has anyone even commented on the exclusive use of
> metric.  I
> think that our motto should be:  Just do it!
>
> Martin Morrison
> Metric Training & Eductional Columnist
> USMA's "Metric Today"
>
>