Length measurement.
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Length measurement is concerned with the measurement of distances. Usually it deals with such a simple task as to find the length between one point [a] and another point [b]. One should think this to be a fairly simple task, which could be agreed upon to be done in a common way. This is not so! As if there's not enough to prevent cultures to understand eachother, lenght measurement can certainly be added.
The main difference is found between the metric system, which is really called the SI-system ( from french Système International d'Unités ), and other old traditional systems. When it comes to the SI-system the metre has an important role, reflected in the more used term metric system. Metre ( greek for measurement ) was in the 1790's defined to be 1 / 10 000 000 of the distance from the pole to the equator. The general conference for weight and measurement, who in 1960 passed the SI-system, have now defined one metre to be the distance light leaves behind during 1 / 299 792 458 of a second. It is from the metre the rest of the SI-system is defined, and one centimetre is 1 / 100 of a metre while a kilometre is 1000 metres. A length measurement based on the SI-system is the norwegian-swedish mile. This mile ( latin: milia (passuum): a thousand steps ) was originally equal to 1478,5 metres. While the old norwegian mile was 36 000 feet, or 11 295 metres, the old swedish mile was 10 688 metres. Today both the norwegian and the swedish miles are 10 000 metres, and can therefore be converted to kilometres and thereby the SI-system. This contrasts the statue mile which is a british-american length measurement. One statue mile equals 1760 yards which is 1609,344 metres. A third form of mile is the international nautical mile which is defined to be 1852 metres. These are measurements not connected to the SI-system. Neither is the inch. One british-american inch is 1 / 12 of a foot, equal to 2,54 centimetres, while one norwegian inch ( called tomme ) equals 2,6154 centimetres. One british-american foot is 1 / 3 of a yard which is 30,48 centimetres. In Scandinavia one foot originally was 1 / 2 "alen" ( 1 alen = 62,75 centimetres ) which is about 12 norwegian inches, equal to 31,6 centimetres. In 1824 it was by law defined to be 31,375 centimetres. Originally one foot was the length of a mans foot, hence the name. Do scandinavians have big feet? Yard is a british-american length of measurement which originally is said to have been defined as the distance between the tip of Henry 1's nose and his outstretched index finger. From 1960 a yard has been defined as 3 feet, which equals 91,44 centimetres.
Confused?
As this was meant to be explaining I will give a short version of what I have been saying:
1 centimetre = 0,394 inch
1 metre = 1,094 yards
1 kilometre = 0,6214 statue mile
10 kilometres = 1 norwegian-swedish mile
The main difference is found between the metric system, which is really called the SI-system ( from french Système International d'Unités ), and other old traditional systems. When it comes to the SI-system the metre has an important role, reflected in the more used term metric system. Metre ( greek for measurement ) was in the 1790's defined to be 1 / 10 000 000 of the distance from the pole to the equator. The general conference for weight and measurement, who in 1960 passed the SI-system, have now defined one metre to be the distance light leaves behind during 1 / 299 792 458 of a second. It is from the metre the rest of the SI-system is defined, and one centimetre is 1 / 100 of a metre while a kilometre is 1000 metres. A length measurement based on the SI-system is the norwegian-swedish mile. This mile ( latin: milia (passuum): a thousand steps ) was originally equal to 1478,5 metres. While the old norwegian mile was 36 000 feet, or 11 295 metres, the old swedish mile was 10 688 metres. Today both the norwegian and the swedish miles are 10 000 metres, and can therefore be converted to kilometres and thereby the SI-system. This contrasts the statue mile which is a british-american length measurement. One statue mile equals 1760 yards which is 1609,344 metres. A third form of mile is the international nautical mile which is defined to be 1852 metres. These are measurements not connected to the SI-system. Neither is the inch. One british-american inch is 1 / 12 of a foot, equal to 2,54 centimetres, while one norwegian inch ( called tomme ) equals 2,6154 centimetres. One british-american foot is 1 / 3 of a yard which is 30,48 centimetres. In Scandinavia one foot originally was 1 / 2 "alen" ( 1 alen = 62,75 centimetres ) which is about 12 norwegian inches, equal to 31,6 centimetres. In 1824 it was by law defined to be 31,375 centimetres. Originally one foot was the length of a mans foot, hence the name. Do scandinavians have big feet? Yard is a british-american length of measurement which originally is said to have been defined as the distance between the tip of Henry 1's nose and his outstretched index finger. From 1960 a yard has been defined as 3 feet, which equals 91,44 centimetres.
Confused?
As this was meant to be explaining I will give a short version of what I have been saying:
1 centimetre = 0,394 inch
1 metre = 1,094 yards
1 kilometre = 0,6214 statue mile
10 kilometres = 1 norwegian-swedish mile
