Those who know me personally are used to my penchant for making up histories that are almost plausible enough to be considered “true”. Perhaps it is disappointing to find out they’re not, because otherwise the world would be more fun. So I’m throwing in a few actual histories, and leaving it up to you to determine “fact or fiction.”
Solutions to be revealed shortly…
History of the Kilogram
Having grown up with pounds and acres, the metric system has often seemed slightly unnatural. Sure, it’s mathematically simpler. Imperial units aren’t quite as friendly. My car gets 4.69 furlongs per jigger of gas. Is that good or bad?
Metric is simpler. Every base unit has a unique name, and the other units are derived from prefixes. That is, except one: the kilogram.
The kilogram is the one base unit with a prefix. What’s with that?
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Well, actually, there is a reason. The kilogram, along with the rest of the metric system, was developed around the time of the French revolution. Commissioned by King Lous XVI, the “grave” was to be based off of the mass of a litre of water at ice point. The word “grave” was a reference to “gravity,” and not the king’s inevitable demise.
After the king was sent to his grave, the “grave” was “suddenly” considered too heavy for practical use. At least, that’s the official word. Rather, the word “grave” was a reference to nobility. Since the scientists had grown accustomed to having heads, they distanced themselves from the politically incorrect “grave.” The “gramme” was defined as the weight of one cubic centimeter of water at ice point, and the base unit renamed “kilogram.”
And so the kilogram is the one base unit with a prefix, partly because the scientists who developed it preferred keeping their heads.
So, what is the verdict? Fact, or fiction?
