The main difference between the two
systems is that metric units are based
on the decimal system while imperial
units are based on the British system
of measurement. Despite their
differences, both systems are used to measure the same physical
quantities.
The metric system, also known as the
International System of Units (SI), is used in most
countries around the world. It is based on the decimal system,
which means that all measurements are based on multiples of 10.
For example, the basic unit of length in the metric system
is the meter, and it is divided into 100 centimeters and 1,000
millimeters. The basic unit of mass in the metric system is the
kilogram, and it is divided into 1,000 grams.
On the
other hand, the imperial system, also known as the British
system, is mainly used in the United States, United Kingdom, and
other countries that were once part of the British Empire. It is
based on the British system of measurement, which means that
measurements are based on arbitrary units. For example, the
basic unit of length in the imperial system is the yard, which
is divided into 3 feet, and the basic unit of mass is the pound,
which is divided into 16 ounces.
The metric and imperial systems
have different historical origins
The metric system has its origins in
the French Revolution. In the late 18th century, the French
Academy of Sciences proposed a new system of measurement that
was based on the decimal system, in which all measurements were
based on multiples of 10. This system was designed to be simple
and easy to use, and it was intended to replace the existing
system of measurement, which was based on arbitrary units and
was difficult to use and understand.
The new system was
adopted by the French government in 1795.
Over the next century, the metric system was adopted by many
other countries, and it eventually became the standard system of
measurement in most of the world.
It is officially recognized as the
international system of units.
The imperial system has
its origins in the British Empire. The system was developed in
the 18th century and was based on the
British system of measurement, which was used in Great Britain
at that time. The basic units of length, mass and volume were
derived from the traditional units used in Britain. The imperial
system was adopted by the British government in 1824 and was
used throughout the British Empire, including the United States,
which adopted it in the late 18th century.
Despite the
fact that the imperial system was later replaced in most of the
British Empire by the metric system, it is still in use in the
United States, United Kingdom, and other countries that were
once part of the British Empire.
The main actors in the creation of the
metric system were the French Academy of Sciences and the French
government
The French Academy of Sciences, a group of scientists and scholars,
proposed the idea of a new system of measurement based on the
decimal system in the late 18th century. The Academy's goal was to
create a simple and logical system of measurement that would be easy
to use and understand. They believed that a decimal system of
measurement would be more rational and efficient than the existing
system, which was based on arbitrary units.
The French
government, under the leadership of the National Assembly, was
supportive of the Academy's proposal and worked to implement the new
system. In 1791, the National Assembly established the Commission of
Weights and Measures, which was responsible for developing and
promoting the new system. The commission was made up of scientists,
including the famous scientist and mathematician, Jean Baptiste
Joseph Delambre, and Pierre Méchain, who were appointed to establish
the standard for the new system of measurement and conduct the
necessary measurements to create the new system.
The
Commission's work was recognized internationally and was the basis
for the adoption of the metric system as the International System of
Units (SI) which is now the international standard for measurement
in most of the world.
The United States did not fully adopt
the metric system for several reasons
One reason is that the country had already developed a
well-established system of measurement based on the British system,
which was used in the colonies before the Revolutionary War. This
system, known as the "American system," was similar to the imperial
system and was based on the yard, pound, and gallon, among other
units.
Another reason is that the metric system was not
widely used in the United States during the 19th century, when many
other countries were beginning to adopt it. The US had a growing
economy and industries that were heavily invested in the existing
system of measurement and would have had to bear the cost of
converting to the metric system.
Additionally, there was also
a lack of political will to change to the metric system, as many
Americans felt that the metric system was foreign and saw no need to
change to a system that was not in use in the United States.
In the late 19th century and the early 20th century, the US
government began to realize the benefits of the metric system, such
as its simplicity and universality, and started to encourage its use
in certain fields such as science, engineering, and education.
However, a law mandating the use of the metric system was never
passed, and the United States remains one of the few countries in
the world that has not officially adopted the metric system as its
primary system of measurement.
Important dates
1791 The French National Assembly establishes
the Commission of Weights and Measures to develop and promote
the metric system in France.
1795 The
French government adopts the metric system as the official system of
measurement in France.
1824 The British
government adopts the imperial system as the official system of
measurement in the United Kingdom.
1866 The United States Congress passes the Metric Act, which
allows for the voluntary use of the metric system in trade and
commerce in the United States.
1875 The
Treaty of the Meter is signed, establishing the International System
of Units (SI) based on the metric system, recognized
internationally.
1887 The United States
adopts the International System of Units (SI) as the preferred
system of measurement for use in scientific work in the United
States.
1960 The International System of
Units (SI) is adopted as the international standard for measurement
by the General Conference on Weights and Measures
(CGPM).
1975 The United States Metric
Study Act is passed, which establishes a program to promote the
use of the metric system in the United States.
1988 The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act is passed in the
United States, which makes the metric system the preferred
system of measurement for use in all federal government agencies
in the United States.
Worldwide
use of the Metric System and Date of Metrication
* The United States of America,
Burma and Liberia have not yet adopted the Metric System (SI).
