339 research outputs found
Comparison between two mobile absolute gravimeters: optical versus atomic interferometers
We report a comparison between two absolute gravimeters: the LNE-SYRTE cold
atoms gravimeter and FG5#220 of Leibniz Universit\"at of Hannover. They rely on
different principles of operation: atomic and optical interferometry. Both are
movable which enabled them to participated to the last International Comparison
of Absolute Gravimeters (ICAG'09) at BIPM. Immediately after, their bilateral
comparison took place in the LNE watt balance laboratory and showed an
agreement of 4.3 +/- 6.4 {\mu}Gal
A Better Definition of the Kilogram
This article reviews several recent proposed redefinitions of the kilogram,
and compares them with respect to practical realizations, uncertainties
(estimated standard deviations), and educational aspects.Comment: 10 pages, no figure
Adapting the International System of Units to the twenty-first century
We review the proposal of the International Committee for Weights and Measures
(Comité International des Poids et Mesures, CIPM), currently being considered by
the General Conference on Weights and Measures (Conférences Générales des Poids et
Mesures, CGPM), to revise the International System of Units (Le SystĂšme International
dâUnitĂšs, SI). The proposal includes new definitions for four of the seven base units of
the SI, and a new form of words to present the definitions of all the units. The objective
of the proposed changes is to adopt definitions referenced to constants of nature, taken
in the widest sense, so that the definitions may be based on what are believed to be
true invariants. In particular, whereas in the current SI the kilogram, ampere, kelvin and
mole are linked to exact numerical values of the mass of the international prototype of the
kilogram, the magnetic constant (permeability of vacuum), the triple-point temperature
of water and the molar mass of carbon-12, respectively, in the new SI these units are linked
to exact numerical values of the Planck constant, the elementary charge, the Boltzmann
constant and the Avogadro constant, respectively. The new wording used expresses the
definitions in a simple and unambiguous manner without the need for the distinction
between base and derived units. The importance of relations among the fundamental
constants to the definitions, and the importance of establishing a mise en pratique for
the realization of each definition, are also discussed
The Bureau International des Poids et Mesures: establishing standards in the physical sciences
In a vault on the outskirts of Paris, a cylinder of platinum-iridium sits in a safe under three layers of glass. It is the kilogram, kept by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), which is the international home of metrology. Metrology is the science of measurement, and it is of fundamental importance to us all. It is essential for trade, commerce, navigation, transport, communication, surveying, engineering, and construction. It is essential for medical diagnosis and treatment, health and safety, food and consumer protection, and for preserving the environmentâe.g., measuring ozone in the atmosphere. Many of these applications are of particular relevance to chemistry and thus to IUPAC. In all these activities we need to make measurements reliablyâto an
appropriate and known level of uncertainty. The financial implications of metrology are enormous. In the United States, for example, some 15% of the gross domestic product is spent on healthcare, involving reliable quantitative measurements for both diagnosis and treatment
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