Why do American scientists and engineers still use the Imperial system of units ?

Question

And so make communication with others difficult?
Why not take the "bull by the horn" and change once and for all? The later you leave it the more difficult it will be. Mind you, we still use miles in UK, so we are far from perfect.

Answer 1

Scientists almost always use the metric system. When they report results to the public, they may convert to English units in the US since that's what people are used to. Engineers, particulary mechanical and structural engineers still use English units, since that system is still engrained into our culture. The automobile industry is slowly drifing toward metric.

Answer 2

Largely cultural inertia; a generation that's grown up using Imperial units will have a hard time adjusting to metric. A great deal of antipathy -- and this is my opinion -- goes to the metric system being a French (specifically, a Revolutionary-turned-to Reign of Terror France) invention. Even though probably only 1 in a thousand people remember that the metric system was developed in France, American contempt for the perverted ideas of the French Revolution made a lot of "innovations" (also the guillotine) unwelcome on American shores.

Have a great day!

Answer 3

Any American physics or engineering student is able to work with metric just fine. The problem is that the average adult American has no concept of gram, kilogram, centimeter and milimeter and adults typically have a very hard time learning things such as playing an instrument, riding a bike, learning a new language, and switching unit systems.

They did try it once but elementary school teachers got fed up. If it makes you feel better, many digital thermometers switch between the two systems.

Answer 4

Only some American scientists use the imperial system.

The ones who do typically do so because they grew up with it. It is unlikely they choose imperial weights and measures to make life more interesting or difficult for the rest of the world.

Answer 5

It makes no sense. I suppose it is just that many people don't want to break with tradition. We do use the metric system for money, and everyone should be glad we do. We also use it for alcoholic drink containers, besides beer. In some engineering work, I've used decimal feet, but in other jobs, we all struggle with feet, inches and 1/16 inches. I programmed my computer to add, multiply, etc. those pesky feet, inches and 1/16 inches. That was indeed a big help to me and others. We rebelled against British rule. Let's discard their clumsy system of measurements too.

Answer 6

The US scientific community use the metric system. They do the same calculations as non-american scientists that require measurements in nanograms, milligrams, millimeters, kelvins. Medications in the United States are measured using the metric system and the dosage is calculated for patients by kilogram and grams for neonates. Medical calculations used to monitor patients such as cardiac output and systemic resistance use the metric system. Children in highschool are using the metric system in science classes.

Answer 7

The person who did the calculations that dropped the Mars probe was a stupid p-d.

Real American scientists and engineers use the SI system. It's just in ordinary life that the old English system is used, and that's because our Congress is a bunch of backsliding yellow-bellied spineless lobbyist-giver-into-ers. We were supposed to convert totally in 1975.

Answer 8

For all practicality in scientific research, the imperial system is dead. Metric is slowly moving in to the metric system as we become more world wide in our trade. Although is is more imperial than not in engineering, it is slowly moving towards metric.
I wish the change was moving faster, but it is not.

Answer 9

Actually scientists and engineers use SI units. Everyone else in the US uses the other units system.

Answer 10

B/C we like to make **** harder than it needs to be Dont ask me why we just do lol i would be up for a change i think it would be way smarter to have all distance and calculations done the same way no mater were u are but me and you will never have an effect on this so this hole blog is point less... *Peace*