2006-09-18 13:03:25 · 7 answers · asked by dee spider 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
SI units are units that were specifically developed to avoid internation confustion. lets say i have 1 gallon of water and you aren't useing gallons as your meeasurement your useing waterons (i made that up) and someone else is useing fartins (also made up) and they are both different from each other if i told either one of you to get 1 gallon of water not only would you get me the wrong ammount but you wouldn't have a clue what i was talking about. Now if I told you to get me 100 ml of water you no exactly how much i want because we are useing the same scale.
2006-09-18 13:09:39 · answer #1 · answered by Sniper 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is actually a misconception. While some scientists use the SI system, many do not. There are a ton of other systems, cgs being one, that scientists use.
The reason why we use other systems is because they make the math easier. Real equations in science can get very complicated very quickly. To simplify these equations we like to pick units that make constants =1. That way we don't have to worry about them when solving the equation. It makes our work a little easier.
For instance the electrostatic force is F=kq1q2/r^2. In SI units this force acting between two electrons is F=1/(4*pi*Eo)*e^2/r^2. In cgs units the force is F=1/r^2. If I know how to convert from force in SI to force in CGS, and I do, then I can use either equation to solve a problem. But the second one is a lot easier if you ask me.
2006-09-18 21:25:43 · answer #2 · answered by sparrowhawk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
SI units(system de Internationale) were introduced to bring about the ease to convert to smaller and larger units using prefixes and to avoid the confusion. But still most of the country use their own system like British use the FPS system, Indians use MKS system.
This system is very use friendly. Because it has index system like centi, Kilo, Mega, Giga, Tera and so on in which a larger value can easily represented.
2006-09-18 22:03:35 · answer #3 · answered by I am rock 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
International System of units was made for everyone. The problem here is everyone agreed with that except for USA and England. So they still use inches, feet, etc...
SI is more able to convert to other units that english units, because SI system uses base 10 multiples, english system uses base 12 multiples. It is easier for you to convert 1m to cm than 1yd in inches, right?
Now, the problem with scientists is: if you're designing a piping system, you use english units because you just say "sir, we need 2in diameter copper pipes" instead of "sir, we need 5.08cm diameter copper pipes".
2006-09-18 22:57:14 · answer #4 · answered by Calculus Teacher 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is much easier to convert to smaller and larger units using prefixes, ex. kilo- is 1000, kilometers is 1000 meters, centi- is 1/100 so centimeter is one-hundredth of a meter. SI is based on 10's
mega- 10^6
10^5
10^4
Kilo- !0^3
Hecto-!0^2
Deca-!0^1
meter, liter, gram
deci-!0^-1
centi-!0^-2
milli-!0^-3
10^-4
10^-5
micro-!0^-6
^ = power of 2^3 = 2*2*2= 8
whereas inches to feet is 12, to yards is 3 to miles is some number
2006-09-18 20:10:27 · answer #5 · answered by t_nguyen62791 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Conversions are easier in SI.
Do you know how many tablespoons are in a gallon? Me neither. But there are 1000 ml in a liter.
Do you know how much a gallon of water weighs? Well I actually do know that: it's 62.4 lbs. A liter of water has a mass of 1 kg.
Know how many gallons in a cube that's 1 foot on a side? Me neither. A cube one meter on a side is 1000 liters.
2006-09-18 22:02:01 · answer #6 · answered by sojsail 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why doesnt the average american use SI units instead of inches and gallons?
2006-09-18 22:31:00 · answer #7 · answered by Adam 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋