HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1975-03-06, Page 17•
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Published *Very WeOk in The Listowel Banner, The Wingham Advance -Times
and The 114 t Forest Confederate by Wenger Bros. Limited.
In step. with the world
Total metrification, a
Canada is slowly creeping
along the road to a total metrifi-
cation of its weights and
measures system.
Already, weathermen have
started giving weather quota-
tions in degrees Celsius in con-
junction with their equivalents in
Fahrenheit.
Beginning on April 1 this year,
all temperature quotations will
be in degrees Celsius. `-`Then we
will gradually give our other quo-
tations in metric measures,"
says Norm Seguss, officer -in -
charge of the Weather Station in
Mount Forest.
If it's confusing how cold (or
warm) it is when the weather is
said to be so many degrees Cel-
sius, it will be even more confus-
ing as the process goes on.
Still to come are such names as
mole, gram, kilogram, litre,
milligram, millilitre, candelas,
amperes, et cetera, et cetera.
Take consolation, though.
Systems of weights and mea-
sures have been even more con-,
fusing. For example, at one time
• a child learning the measure-
ments of length had to listen to
something like this:
"The digit is the width of a '
finger; the palm the width of the
hand above the thumb; the span
is the distance from the endof the
thumb to the end of the little
finger, with the hand Out-
stretched;
ut-stretched; the cubit is the dis-
tance from the elbow to the finger
• tip; the span is equal to three
palms, the cubit two spans and
• the fathom four cubits ... "
And that' Was only #,h &Valid
and involved onlyone set otmed
surement. If the systems of
weights and measures from other
lands in the past were recited
simultaneously, it would be
babel.
However, increased travel and
trade between peoples from and
to different lands has always nec-
essitated systems understand-
able to all.
"The history of measure-
ments," writes S. M. Gossage,
chairman of the Canada Metric -
Commission, "is the history of
man'si struggle to understand
what his neighbor meant when he
• was talking about quantity and
then to agree with the neighbor
. on a description that would have
the same meaning for a third
person."
That's why Canada is going
metric, or rather gradually con-
verting its system of weights and
measures to the SI metric units.
SI means International System
and most countries of the world,
including jungle republics Cana-
da Can feed and arm with as
much money as is spent on booze
in Toronto in any given year,
have been metric for years. -
In short, Canada still has to
spend time and money .just so
that many nations will under-
stand what Canadians mean
when they talk about weights and
measures.
Canada's benefits for going
metric are, therefore, straight-
forward.
- Improved export trade with
metric countries.
-The metric system (SI) has a
few easily -defined units.
- All multiples and sub -multi-
ples are in simple powers of ten.
-There is a direct relationship
between the units of length,
volume and weight.
-The multiples and sub -mul-
tiples generally accord with
Canada•S accepted counting sys-
tem.
-Most of the other countries of
the world are already metric'.
So what's the sweat?
The sweat is to make every
Canadian think, see, feel and talk
metric.
That is, to change the way of
thinking; to have an approximate
idea of a metre when they see
one; to feel how fast they are
moving when the speed limit on
the highway is Km 50 (32 m.p.h.) ;
to feel how heavy is a kilogram
(2.2 pounds) ; to know what to
wear when it's zero degrees Cel-
sius (freezing) and to know how
far Arthur is from Mount Forest
(18 Km) ... the list is endless.
The system Canada is convert-
ing to should not be confused with
the old system of metric -such as
Centimeter, Gram, Second
LONG MEASUE.
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
1yard = 914401 meter
1 mile =1:609347 kilometers
LIQUID MEASURE
1 pint = .473167 liter
1 quart = .946332 liter
1 gallon =3.785329 liters
DRY MEASURE
1 pint = .550599 liter
1 quart =1.101197 liters
1 peck =8.80958 liters
1 bushel = .35238 hectoliter
SQUARE MEASURE
1 sq. inch =6.4516 sq. centimeters
1 sq. foot =9.29034 sq. decimeters
1 eq. yard= .836131 sq. mcct°.
!„00.*, =,,40:469 *tar*- .,
1 sq. mile sq. kito,n tars
CUBIC MEASURE
1 cu.-lnch =16.3872 cu. centimeters
1 cu. foot = .028317 cu. meter
1 cu. yard= .76456 cu: meter
„ AVOIRDUPOIS MEASURE
1 ounce =28.349527 grams
1 pound = .453592 kilogram.
1 short ton= .90718486 metric ton
1 long ton = 1.01604704 metric tons
(CGS) System, which developed
many new and unrelated units
over the years.
That one hadits origin in the
French Revolution. It was de-
signed by a few scientists when
most French people were physi-
cally, ideologically ant morally
butchering each other in the
streets of Paris.
Like the other revolutionaries
in France at the time, these
scientists hoped that the new sys-
tem would ntt only be coherent
but that it would also be everlast-
ing.
All the old measures were
scrapped and a new one, derived
from nature, was designed.
The standard unit of length
chosen was the metre. The metre
was defined as "one ten millionth
part of a meridian of longitude
between the Pole and the Equa-
tor."
The unit of weight chosen was
defined as the weight of water at
specified temperatures and pres-
sure in one cubic centimetre.
(There are 100 centimeters in one
metre and one metre is a yard
plus 31/2 inches).
This volume of water also
formed the basis for measures of
capacity (litre).
Needless, to say, everyone was
confused. But revolutions result
in confusion, devastating if they
are overnight affairs, adjustable
Some everyday metric units
Quantity
Unit
length millimetre (one thousandth of a metre)
centimetre (one hundredth of.a metre)
metre
kilometre (one thousand metres)
aha
volume and
capacity
mass
(or weight)
time
square centimetre
square metre
hectare (ten thousand square metres)
cubic centimetre
cubic metre
millilitre (one thousandth of a Titre)
centilitre (one hundredth of a litre)
litre
gram (one thousandth of a kilogram) '
kilogram
tonne (one thousand kilograms)
second
minute
hour
speed metres per second
kilometres per hour
knots (international nautical miles per hour)
Symbol
mm
cm
m
km
cm2 .
m2
ha
MILLIMETRE AND INCH EOUIVALINT$
(1 mm -'00393701 in.)
radual process
mm •
In. •
mm
in.
mm
in.
mm
In.
mm i
_ •;.
1
2 ..
3
4
$
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
'13
14
15
16
17 •
18
19
20
0.0394
0-0787
01181
01575
8.1969
0.2362
02756
0.3150
0-3543
. 03937
0.43 1
0.4724
0.51,18
0.5512
0.5986
0.6299
0-6693
b-7087
0.7480
0.7874
21
22
23
24
25
26
17
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
0.827
0.866
0.906
0.945
0.984
1.024
1.063
1.102
1.142
1.101
1 :220
1.260
1.299
1.339
1.370
1.417
1.457
1.496
1.535
1.575
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
St
52
53
S4
55
56
57
58
S9 '
60
1.614
1.654
1.693
1.732
1-772
1.811
1.850
1.890
11.929
1969
2.000
2.047
2-087
2-126
2.165
2.205
2-244
2.283
2.323
2.362
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
682.07
69
0
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
2.402
2.441
2480
2.520
2.559
2.590
2i30
2.717
3.756
2.795
2.835
2874
2-913 •
2-953
2.992
3.031
3-071
3.110
3.150
81109
82
03^
84
85
86
87
88
a
90
91
92
93
94
95
96 .
97
98
• 99
111
•3.2211
3'260
3'307' • ,
3.11411.., '
•301►;''.
420 ,
3'460'
3.50
)-543~
3• 3'
362.2
3.661 '
3701
3.74
3.780
3.819
3.050
3.890
3.937
to it they are gradual.
Canada has chosen the gradual.
form • of revolutionizing her
citizens' thinking as far as
weights and 'measures are con-
cerned.
The conversion process is ex-
pected to be complete by 1980. H.
G. Wells won't be disappointed in
o his grave.
The system designed by the
French revolutionary scientists
was coherent in that all measures
were related to each other.
In addition, larger and smaller
units in each series of measure
were (and still are) related to
powers of ten, like the dollar.
(There are 100 cents in a dollar,
10 ten -cents in a dollar and 10 one -
cents in a dime, which is' ten
cents. That's the idea).
But that system didn't stand up
to the mischance of the times.
The metre didn't stand up to
closer investigation. The world is
not round, like the• -French scien-
tists had figured. It's oval, like an
egg -almost.
Nonetheless, the system has
remained coherent. Today the
metre is defined in a more scien-
tific way (in the laboratory) as
"wavelengths in vacuum, of
radiation corresponding to the
transition between two levels of
krypton 86 atom".
The relationship between the
metre and the gram (the unit of
mass) and the litre, the unit of
capacity, wasn't quite accurate
either. -
While the divergence was
minute, it was enough to upset
scientists, who crave for accu-
racy with more, if not as much
passion, as winos crave for the
bottle.
Today the kilogram (1000
grams) is a prototype of platinum
mass kept at the headquarters of
the,. International Bureau of
Weights and Measures in France.
(Platinum is a white heavy
ductile maleable metallic ele-
ment unaffected by simple acids'
and -meltable only at very high
temperatures) .
Thus, when Canada goes
metric by 1980, she will have
adopted one of -the most closely -
watched.. systems of weights and
measures.
The decision to make Canada
metric was made in June, 1971,
when the Metric Commission was
established following a White
Paper on Metric Conversion in
Canada.
"In order to fulfil its re-
sponsibility of developing a good
plan for conversion," writes Mr.
Gossage, "the Commission has
asked each economic sector to
assume the responsibility of
developing its own tentative pro-
gram for changeover, suitable to
its requirements."
The Meteorological Depart-
ment has decided that the first
step will be to quote only tem-
perature in metric system (SI).
The Commission will then take
these plans and with "further co-
operation with the sectors con-
cerned, develop an overall plan
for tie whole Canadian economy
which will cause the least diffi-
culty and dislocation to the dif-
ferent sectors."
The Commission then reports
to the Minister of Industry, Trade
and Commerce, and advises the
minister "on the need for legisla-
tion or any other action that may
be required to facilitate conver-
sion to metric system."
Translated, this bureaucratic
verbiage simply means that
decisions will be made by the
powers that be and those who run
the economy as to which units of
the seven will be used in weights
cm3 (or c.c. or cc)
m3
ml
cl
I (or litre)
g
kg
t (or tonne)
9
min
h
m/s
km/h
kin
and measures of the commodities
the society makes and needs;
For example: will building
material (lumber, let's say)
come in 10 centimeters (em) or
100 cm? Will milk be sold in ,hall
litre, quarter litre or one and a
half litre- containers? And will
doing so be economical?
These are the questions -that
committees, with membership
drawiffrom many sectors of the
economy and national associa-
tions, have been formed to tackle.
Some commodities need legis-
lation as to the quantities in
which they can be packaged. A
good example is the dairy pro-
duct.
Others don't. Here the deci-
sions will most likely depend on
tie economic factors (cost and
profit) and such other inter-
twined factors like practicalities
of handling.
Ultimately, these 'decisionf
need cause no More havoc , than
decisions to build small or large
cars or to package sugar in five-
pound bags have caused in the
past.. .
To begin' with, the metric
system has been around for a
long time; that prescription from
the doctor has always been in
grams or milligrams.
The airlines have always
quoted their departure and
arrival times.in, you bet, metric
.. 1800 hours, meaning 6 p.m.
Motorcycle and imported for-
eign -made car engine capacities
have been given in metric for
quite a while 225cc, 1600 (cc
omitted but that's what it
means) . -
Coke has gone metric. The
quantity is quoted in both ounces
and millilitres. Not only that, last
year bottles marked only in milli-
litres (ml) were introduced in
London, Ontario, and hardly any-
one noticed.
The size and shape of the bot-
tles didn't change. Being inter-
national, the Coca Cola company
has had to be metric. They just
changed the molds for the bottles
. for the inside, that is.
Toothpaste tubes (not all of
them) have been metric for quite
awhile;' so much ml of paste in
the tube.
There will be no need to throw
away all the pots and pans from
the kitchen. There are many pots
and pans into which a litre of milk
will fit.
There will not even be an im-
mediate need to tear down -the
gas pumps and replace them with
metric ones. They can be
mechanically adjusted to pour
the gas in litres.
There's one thing, though.
Some day everything will be
metric. It's the sound of the
future and Canadians might as
well learn how to adjust to it, and
fast.
The best way • to do so is to ob-
tain rulers, scales and measuring
jugs calibrated in the metric sys-
tem. It would also help to note the
comparatti'Ve weights on certair'f
pre-packaged commodities.
Some packages have both
measures marked on them.
When the conversion is com-
plete, the consumer won't have to
worry whether a size 12 or 16
dress will fit if it's ready-made.
But those women who like mak-
ing their own dresses will have to
know how many metres they
need for a dress because the cloth
will be metric and the metre is a
very likely measure. It is now the
internationally used measure of
cloth.
Whether they decide to use
centimetres or metres for ready-
to-wear clothes should not worry
the consumer.
But that's if they don't change
the sizes. If they do, there will be
some, confusion. That's what
makes learning what the system
means vital.
Federal assistance for metric
conversion in Canada generally
will be limited to planning, co-or-
dinating and publicizing the sys-
tem through the Commission and
co-ordinating the preparation
through the Standards Council- of
Canada.
The cost of conversion will, be
the responsibility of those who in-
cur them.
For example: garage owners
will have to buy a whole Set of
tools and manufacturers will
bear the cost of converting their
machinery.
The cost will he enormous,
financially. And psychologically,
too. Adjustment will be needed.
People will have to learn an
entirely new mode of thinking in
a relativelyshort time.
Is it worth it?
There is some value in joining
the world to create a language
that is universallx understood but
does not erode the nationalistic
identity or cultural pride,
By conver-tinglo the SI system,
Canada will have done so. More
important, Mr. Gossage, notes,
... this will be a notable contri-
bution to the easing of communi-
cations in a world whose time di-
mensions shrink almost daily."
In addition, Canada as a
trading nation must use the mea-
surements of her customers, if
they are going to stay her , cus-
tomers. -
Old habits die hard, the saying
goes. But whether the shoe is
measured in centimetres or
inches, it will pinch where it will.
And the wearer will definitely
know . m which centimetre the
shoe pinched.
---Crossroads--March 6, 197•
DOUBLE -During the period of converting the system of weights and measures in
Canada, most pre-packaged and canned goods will bear both avoirdupois and metric
units. This should help consumers adjust their thinking to metric by' using an already
known weight.
STARTED -Temperatures will be quoted in degrees Cel-
sius beginning April 1. However, work continues on figuring
the rest of the measurements and preparing their eventual
conversion to metric. Wind speed, for example, will be
given In knots. Norm Seguss, officer -in -charge, Moun
Forest Weather Station, contemplates the change that win
speed arid pressure measuring equipment will have to un
dergo.