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Chapter 1: Problem 1

Explain why measurement standards based on laboratory procedures are preferable to those based on specific objects such as the international prototype kilogram.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Laboratory procedure-based measurement standards are preferable to object-based ones as they offer greater precision, stability and universality. They are based on fundamental properties of nature that remain constant, and can be accurately and consistently replicated in different laboratories worldwide.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the use of specific objects for measurement standards

In the early days, measurement standards were based on specific objects, such as the international prototype kilogram. This was a physical sample, kept under controlled conditions, and all measurements of mass were traceable to it. However, this approach had several drawbacks including susceptibility to wear and tear, and inability to be precisely replicated universal.
02

Presenting the concept of measurement standards based on laboratory procedures

As science evolved, there was a need for more exact and universally applicable standards. This led to the transition to measurement standards based on laboratory procedures, which essentially define the units in terms of physical constants or properties of nature. For example, the kilogram is now defined using the Planck constant, a fundamental constant of nature.
03

Comparison of the two approaches

In comparison to specific objects, laboratory procedures offer several advantages. They are less prone to changes with time or location, and their definitions can be reproduced accurately and consistently in different laboratories, leading to enhanced precision and global uniformity in measurements.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Bubble gum's density is about \(1 \mathrm{g} / \mathrm{cm}^{3} .\) You blow an 8 -g wad of gum into a bubble \(10 \mathrm{cm}\) in diameter. What's the bubble's thickness? (Hint: Think about spreading the bubble into a flat sheet. The surface area of a sphere is \(4 \pi r^{2} .\) )

A radian is how many degrees?

You're shopping for a new computer, and a salesperson claims the microprocessor chip in the model you're looking at contains 10 billion electronic components. The chip measures \(5 \mathrm{mm}\) on a side and uses 32 -nm technology, meaning each component is \(32 \mathrm{nm}\) across. Is the salesperson right?

You have postage for a 1 -oz letter but only a metric scale. What's the maximum mass your letter can have, in grams?

The semiconductor chip at the heart of a personal computer is a square \(4 \mathrm{mm}\) on a side and contains \(10^{9}\) electronic components. (a) What's the size of each component, assuming they're square? (b) If a calculation requires that electrical impulses traverse \(10^{4}\) components on the chip, each a million times, how many such calculations can the computer perform each second? (Hint: The maximum speed of an electrical impulse is \(3 \times 10^{8} \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s},\) close to the speed of light.)
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