martedì 25 gennaio 2011

history of the metric system

To determine the extent of a certain size, we use a unit of measure you like. For example, if you want to measure how long is the room where I am, I can use steps, feet, meters, and so on. 
In the past, have been used different units of measurement, such as the ancient Egyptians used as a measure for the cubit lengths, ie the length of that part of the arm between the elbow and the middle finger. 
The Greeks and the Romans used the foot up. 
Until fairly recently, the different names adopted different units and, sometimes, even in the same country the units varied from region to region. 
The presence of different units has always been an obstacle in trade. That is why France, in 1775, formed a committee of scientists chaired by Louis Lagrange, mathematician known. The committee had the task of creating a set of units for each size (length, weight, volume, etc. ..) that could be adopted in an unequivocal manner by different countries. 
The new system was called the metric system was adopted and a bit 'from all the major nations of the world. France adopted him in 1795 and Italy in 1861. 
It was not adopted, however, the United States of America and England. Britain adopted the metric system a few years ago.



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