Abstract

THE decision of the International Electrotechnical Commission to recommend the use of the M.K.S. system of electrical, mechanical and magnetic units, as reported in NATURE of July 6, may have far-reaching consequences, for experience has shown that a unit in daily use by engineers soon becomes a familiar quantity, and as such is preferred for quantitative work even by the pure physicist. The statistical examination of tho question by G. A. Campbell1 shows this very clearly: the practical units, volt, ohm, ampere, coulomb, etc., are used by the pure physicist far more than the corresponding C.G.S.M. or C.G.S.K. units. Since the M.K.S. system also possesses advantages for mathematical work, it is at least possible that it may ultimately become universally used.

References

1. Bull. Nat. Res. Council, No. 93, 48; 1933.
2. Intern. Electrotech. Commission, Memorandum on the M.K.S. System of Practical Units.