Standard Units of Measurement: the SI System No matter what field of science you enter, you will need to take
measurements, understand them, communicate them to others, and be able to repeat them. In other words, we all have to speak the same basic language. Whether you are a chemist, a physicist, a biologist, an engineer, or even a medical doctor, you will need a consistent way of communicating size, mass, shape, temperature, time, amount, energy, power, and speed. Consider the screen on which you're reading this te t right now. It might be an !C" screen, in which case a very specific orientation of very specific molecules is aligned and realigned under very specific electric fields at precisely defined places on the screen. #his alignment controls the way that light travels through the molecules. #hese alignments are generated by various computer algorithms but are universally accepted and defined to closely reproduce color, appearance, intensity, etc. #hough different in many ways, these various fields of science also have a great deal in common $$ and it is all based on measurements. #he chemist developing his or her specific formulation for a li%uid crystal has to communicate meaningful information to an engineer about the physical properties re%uired for manufacture and synthesis, and the engineer has to be able to communicate with other engineers, physicists, and chemists to design circuit boards, display screens, and electronic interfaces. If all don't speak the same language, the enterprise will never get off the ground. #he International &ystem of 'nits (abbreviated &I, from the )rench Systme international d'units) is the metric system used in science, industry, and medicine and in much commerce worldwide. "epending on your age and geographic location, you might be very familiar with the *Imperial* system. Imperial units include gallons, feet, miles, and pounds, and the system remains in common use in many places for *everyday* measurements. In much of +urope, and in all scientific circles, however, the &I, or metric, system is in common use. ,etric units include
the kilogram (kg., for mass the second (s., for time the /elvin (/., for temperature the ampere (0., for electric current the mole (mol., for the amount of a substance the candela (cd., for luminous intensity the meter (m., for distance #hese are the seven basic units in the &I system, illustrated nicely in )igure 1. #here is much interesting history regarding the origins of the units and the measurements themselves $$ they evolved over time with use and were defined for clarity and simplicity, essential re%uirements of a standard measurement.
#he meter, or metre (m., was originally defined as 1213,333,333 of the distance from the +arth's e%uator to the North 4ole, measured on the circumference through 4aris. It is defined in modern terms as the length of the path travelled by light in a vacuum during a time interval of 12566,765,89: of a second. #he kilogram (kg. was defined as the mass of one thousandth of a cubic meter $$ which is a liter $$ of water. It is currently defined as the mass of a platinum$iridium kilogram sample maintained by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures in &evres, )rance. #he second (s. was originally based on a *standard day* of 58 hours, with each hour divided in ;3 minutes and each minute divided in ;3 seconds. Currently, a second is the duration of 6,165,;<1,773 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium$1<< atom. #he ampere (0. was originally defined electrochemically as the current re%uired to deposit 1.11: milligrams of silver per second from a solution of silver nitrate. 0t present, the ampere is the constant current that, if maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross$section, and placed 1 meter apart in vacuum, would produce between these conductors a force e%ual to 5 =cdot 13>7 newton per meter of length. #he kelvin (/. is the thermodynamic unit of temperature, with its origin at 3 /. #he incremental size of the /elvin is the same as the degree Celsius (centigrade., but the unit of the thermodynamic
scale is the /elvin. #he kelvin is the fraction 1257<.1; of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water, which is 3.31 degrees Celsius. #he mole (mol. is a number relating molecular or atomic mass to a constant number of particles. It is defined as the amount of a substance that contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 3.315 kilogram of carbon$15. #he candela (cd. was originally *candlepower,* back in the days when candles were common sources of illumination and their properties were standardized. In more modern terms, with the rise of incandescent and fluorescent light sources, the candela is the luminous intensity in a given direction of a source that emits monochromatic radiation of fre%uency 983 ?cdot 1315 hertz and that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 12;:< watt per steradian. It should be apparent that the move into modern times has greatly refined the conditions of measurement for each basic unit in the &I system, making the measurement of, for e ample, the luminous intensity of a light source a standard measurement in every laboratory in the world. 0 light source made to produce 53 cd will be the same regardless of whether it is made in the 'nited &tates, in the @ussian )ederation, in the '/, or anywhere else. #he use of the &I system provides all scientists and engineers with a common language of measurement.
Why should you study political science? Here are just a few of the many reasons: We live in a representative democracy in which political knowledge is fundamental to fulfilling oneAs responsibilities and duties as a citizen. +very citizen has a responsibility to know how government works, to understand political issues, and hold public officials accountable. 4olitical science helps students to develop reasoning and analytic skills and build competence in oral and written e pression, skills that are useful in almost any profession. #here are many careers for which an e tensive training in political science is e tremely beneficial. #his is particularly true for those planning careers in the following fields-
National, state and local government 'rban planning )oreign affairs Bournalism +ducation !egal profession 4ublic 0dvocacy 4ublic @elations International Crganizations 0 multitude of organizations and interest groups that seek to monitor the political process or to influence the content of public policy 0nswer #here are many reasons why a student needs to study political science. !ocal and state governments provide services in nearly every area of a persons life. It is important for the average citizen to have a basic understanding of how these entities work and how their decisions effects the lives of others. #he federal government is the country's largest employer and many feel that is the responsibility of every 0merican to have a good understanding of how all the various branches of government work. @[Link]
