Bakwenye 7
Bakwenye Chukwuebuka
10357780
Dr. Leo Oriet
2nd March 2013
MEASUREMENTS
Imagine a world without order, or a world where quantities under space and time are gauged. There would be a big problem. This is why we measure every physical quantity, uncertain quantity and event. Measurement is the careful allocation of numbers to physical properties (mass) or events (time). All measurements are made up of three parts, namely: magnitude, dimension (unit) and uncertainty. Magnitude is the capacity or size of a quantity being measured. Dimension is simply the unit of the quantity being measured. Uncertainty just implies to the prediction of future events, already known or unknown.
In the early days of man, rudimentary measurements were asserted to different quantities to avoid confusion. These rudimentary measurements were not certain as people could use different values and get confused. For example, a one foot measurement was different to everyone, hence causing conflict. In the 14th century, the Imperial system (foot-pound-second system) of measurements was made. The units of measurements were not so accurate. This system is still adopted by few parts of UK and Canada. For example in some English pubs, price of liquor is still counted in pints. This system still caused disputes until a French Chemist, Gabriel Mouton, made the metric system in the 16th century. The Metric system was gauged in series of different decimal places for a quantity. This system was obtained by most parts of Europe and had merely reached North America at the time. Gabriel Mouton had goals he hoped to achieve with the metric system. He wanted to create a neutral and universal method of measurement, such that laboratories around the world would be able to use a specified unit of measurement. It was also established so that the sets were in common exponents of 10. For example one meter is the standard and on kilometer is 1000meter. This enables all units to have a common prefix....