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The Re-Definition of the Base Units of the SI: How We Achieved It”

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The Re-Definition of the Base Units of the SI: How We Achieved It” “The re-definition of the base units of the SI: how we achieved it” Dr Martin J.T Milton Director, BIPM 28th November 2018 Outline 01 – The metric system and the Metre Convention 02 - The re-definition of the SI in 2018 03 – Implementing the new definitions 2 Why was the Metric system of so much interest? The Metric System was first introduced after the French Revolution: to allow fair trade by weight and length. • The metre = one ten millionth part of the arc of the meridian between the north pole and the equator (through Paris). • The kilogram= the mass of 1dm3 of water (at its temperature of maximum density). 3 Why was the Metric system of so much interest? loi 3456 du 19 Frimaire an VIII (1799) • The metre = one ten millionth part of the arc of the meridian between the north pole and the equator (through Paris). • The kilogram= the mass of 1dm3 of water (at its temperature of maximum density). But, in 1812 – Napoleon abandoned the Metric System ! 4 Why was the Metric system of so much interest? loi 3456 du 19 Frimaire an VIII (1799) • The metre = one ten millionth part of the arc of the meridian between the north pole and the equator (through Paris). • The kilogram= the mass of 1dm3 of water (at its temperature of maximum density). …. in 1837 it was re-intrduced 5 Why was the Metric system of so much interest? • The metre = one ten millionth part of the arc of the meridian between the north pole and the equator (through Paris). • The kilogram= the mass of 1dm3 of water (at its temperature of maximum density). …. in 1837 it was re-intrduced 6 Why was the Metric system of so much interest? But confusion developed about the definitions of the metre and the kilogram. Were they: the old revolutionary standards? or the artefact standards held in the National Archives? 7 Why was the Metric system of so much interest? And there were new demands for more accurate measurements. 20 May 1875 The Metre Convention was signed in Paris by 17 nations “to assure the international unification and perfection of the metric system” 8 the Metre Convention 20 May 1875 - The Metre Convention was signed in Paris by 17 nations Article 1 The High Contracting Parties undertake To create and maintain, at their common expense, a scientific and permanent International Bureau of Weights and Measures with its headquarters in Paris. Article 3 states that The BIPM shall operate under the authority of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) and the supervision of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) 9 the Metre Convention 20 May 1875 - The Metre Convention was signed in Paris by 17 nations Article 1 The High Contracting Parties undertake To create and maintain, at their common expense, a scientific and permanent International Bureau of Weights and Measures with its headquarters in Paris. Article 3 states that The BIPM shall operate under the authority of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) and the supervision of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) Article 7 states that The personnel of the Bureau shall be a Director, two assistants and the number of employees necessary. … and will be reduced when the work on the new prototypes is finished and they are distributed to the States. 10 the Metre Convention 20 May 1875 - The Metre Convention was signed in Paris by 17 nations Article 1 The High Contracting Parties undertake To create and maintain, at their common expense, a scientific and permanent International Bureau of Weights and Measures with its headquarters in Paris. Article 3 states that The BIPM shall operate under the authority of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) and the supervision of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) Article 7 revised in 1920 the BureauArticle 7 will states be chargedthat with The personnel of the Bureau shall be a Director, two • the establishment and the conservation of standards of electrical units ... assistants and the number of employees necessary. • determinations related to physical constants for which more accurate … and will be reduced when the work on the new knowledge might serve to increaseprototypes the is finishedprecision and and they ensure are distributed better uniformity to the in the fields to which the unitsStates. mentioned above belong. • the work of coordinating similar determinations made in other institutes. 11 The BIPM – an international organisation Established in 1875 when 17 States signed the Metre Convention, now with 60 Member States. CGPM – Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures Consultative Committees (CCs) Official represntatives of Member States. CCAUV – Acoustics, US & Vibration CCEM – Electricity & Magnetism CCL – Length CIPM – Comité International des Poids et Mesures CCM – Mass and related CCPR – Photometry & Radiometry Eighteen individuals of different nationalities elected by the CGPM. CCQM – Amount of substance CCRI – Ionizing Radiation CCT – Thermometry BIPM Staff CCTF – Time & Frequency • International coordination and liaison • Technical coordination – laboratories CCU - Units • Capacity building World-famous scientists at the BIPM Charles Édouard Guillaum BIPM Director, won the Nobel Prize in 1920 Dmitri Mendeleev was a CIPM Member Marie and Pierre Curie (1895-1901) collaborated with the BIPM Five CIPM Members have won the Nobel prize including De Broglie and Michelson 13 Outline 01 – The metric system and the Metre Convention 02 - The re-definition of the SI in 2018 03 – Implementing the new definitions 14 The International System of Units (SI) The 8th edition of the SI Brochure is available from the BIPM website. Prefixes 15 From NIST -http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/SIdiagram.html Seven base units MIPK 3 definitions based on fundamental (or conventional) constants: • metre (c) • ampere (µ0) kg • metre (c) Kcd c • candela (Kcd) • ampere (µ0) cd m • candela (K ) 3 definitions basedcd on atomic or material properties: • second (ΔvCs) • second (ΔvCs) • kelvin (T ) TPW 12 mol s • kelvin (TTPW) m( C) Δv • mole (12C) Cs • mole (m12C) • kilogram (MIPK) 1 definition based on an artefact: K A • kilogram (MIPK) TTPW µ0 16 The 26th CGPM agreed to change the Seven base units definitions of four of them 3 definitions based on fundamental (or conventional) constants: • metre (c) • ampere (µ- )Superseded by the 1990 convention • metre (c)0 kg • candela (Kcd) • ampere (µ0) cd m • candela (K ) 3 definitions basedcd on atomic or material properties: • second (ΔvCs) • second (ΔvCs) • kelvin (TTPW) mol s • kelvin (T- Implemented) through the ITS-90 scale • mole TPW(12C) • mole -(mdefinition12C) is often misunderstood – depends on mass • kilogram (MIPK) 1 definition based on an artefact: K A • kilogram (M- artefactIPK) – may not be stable ? 17 Seven base units We now have 4 new definitions h 6 definitions based on fundamental (or conventional) constants: • metre (c) • candela (Kcd) kg Kcd c • kilogram (h) m • ampere (e) cd • kelvin (kB) • mole (NA) mol s N A ΔvCs 1 definition based on atomic property: Δv • second ( Cs) K A kB e 18 Seven base units …same base units but different links h 6 definitions based on fundamental (or conventional) constants: • metre (c) • candela (Kcd) kg Kcd c • kilogram (h) m • ampere (e) cd • kelvin (kB) • mole (NA) mol s N A ΔvCs 1 definition based on atomic property: Δv • second ( Cs) K A mol is now independent of kg kB e 19 Outline 01 – The metric system and the Metre Convention 02 - The re-definition of the SI in 2018 03 – Implementing the new definitions 20 Welcome to the Open session to consider the revision of the SI #siredefinition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVRsXNaC1hM Since 1990, macroscopic quantum effects have been the basis for the reproduction of the electrical units Josephson effect Quantum-Hall effect Nobel Prize 1973 Nobel Prize 1985 14 4 Rxy 12 Rxx 3.5 3 10 2.5 8 W 2 W 6 1.5 Rxy / k Rxy / k Rxx 4 1 2 0.5 0 0 -2 -0.5 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Magnetic flux density / T f 2e R h U J n , KJ K K h RH (i) , RK 2 J i e KJ-90 ≡ 483 597.9 GHz/V RK-90 ≡ 25 812.807 W • But: this convention is not within the SI (because they may not lead to m ≡ 4p · 10-7 N A-2) www.bipm.org 0 23 A new way to link electrical units to mechanical units • An experiment that links electrical power to mechanical power. • The « moving coil watt balance » • Now named the Kibble Balance after its inventor. 24 Writing the new definitions eg the ampere “The ampere … is defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the elementary charge e to be 1.602 176 620 8 ×10–19 when expressed in the unit C, which is equal to A s, where the second is defined in terms of DnCs”. How does this work in practice? Since h is fixed by the definition of the kilogram and e by the definition of the ampere: The Josephson effects defines a voltage in terms of 2e/h The quantum Hall effect defines an impedence in terms of h/e2 Note –there will be very small changes to the volt and the ohm -9 2e/h will be smaller than KJ-90 by the fractional amount 107 ×10 2 -9 h/e will be larger than RK-90 by the fractional amount 18 ×10 www.bipm.org 25 26 Writing the new definitions eg the kilogram “The kilogram … is defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the Planck constant h to be 6.626 070 15 × 10–34 when expressed in the unit J s, which is equal to kg m2 s–1, where the metre and the second are defined in terms of c and DnCs”.
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