Article

2008-04-12 Science

German researchers want to replace the kilogramme

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Posted by mrp 2008-04-12 11:21|| || Front Page|| [5 views ] Top

#1 Where is this weight escaping to? Can they use duct tape to hold it together?

Posted by gorb 2008-04-12 13:35|| 2008-04-12 13:35|| Front Page Top

#2 Here's one for them.
Pound.

Posted by tu3031 2008-04-12 13:40|| 2008-04-12 13:40|| Front Page Top

#3 "But the final decision is up to the politicians."

Oh, boy.

"No one should fear that the contents of their shopping bags will suddenly be heavier."

With pols involved, I'd fear about it getting lighter, like my wallet.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-04-12 13:54|| 2008-04-12 13:54|| Front Page Top

#4 Becker said time is short to finish the project, because researchers in Switzerland and Britain are currently using other methods to solve the same problem. "Of course we hope that our definition of the kilogramme succeeds," he said. "But the final decision is up to the politicians."

Like, are we talking abount Gordon Brown, Angie Merkel, Berlusconi, et al. coming together to define the kilogramme?

Posted by mrp 2008-04-12 13:56|| 2008-04-12 13:56|| Front Page Top

#5 The old platinum alloy standard kilogramme - the original from 1889 - is housed in vault near Paris, France, and is slowly losing weight, though it's barely measurable, Becker said. Scientists aren't sure why.

let's see, Weight= Mass X Gravity. Apparently, one of those changed... if not the mass, perhaps the gravity? Makes me light-headed!

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-04-12 14:10|| 2008-04-12 14:10|| Front Page Top

#6 The old platinum alloy standard kilogramme is slowly losing weight. Scientists aren't sure why.

I'd check the security guards pockets.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-04-12 14:22|| 2008-04-12 14:22|| Front Page Top

#7 Frank, I'm pretty sure that gravity has increased, if my bathroom scale is anything to go by.
How often do they pick up the standard kg? Every little scratch will transfer some atoms back and forth, and since platinum is denser than most things the standard weight should see a net loss.

Posted by James">James 2008-04-12 15:00|| http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com]">[http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com] 2008-04-12 15:00|| Front Page Top

#8 For the chemists or metallurgists out there. How stable is Platinum? Might loss come from handling per James and perhaps from long term decay? We can measure down to really small increments nowadays using tech undreamed of in the days these Standards were developed.

Posted by tipover 2008-04-12 15:35|| 2008-04-12 15:35|| Front Page Top

#9 Here's one for them.
Pound.

Actually the Pound is defined using the Kilogram

In 1958 the United States and countries of the Commonwealth of Nations agreed upon common definitions for the pound and the yard. The international avoirdupois pound was defined as exactly 453.59237 grams

Posted by john frum 2008-04-12 16:28|| 2008-04-12 16:28|| Front Page Top

#10 John, but would that not mean that 1 kg = xactly 2.204062262185 lb?

;-)

Posted by twobyfour 2008-04-12 22:01|| 2008-04-12 22:01|| Front Page Top

#11 I blame the Peruvians for short-weight kilos

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-04-12 22:07|| 2008-04-12 22:07|| Front Page Top

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