1. English to Metric or Metric to English Why even bother?

2. Have you ever been on the outside looking in? This expression, whether you like it or not has affected all of us at one time or another! The United States is one of only three (3) nations left in the world that don’t use the Metric System. –The only other countries that have not officially adopted the metric system are Liberia (in western Africa) and Burma (also known as Myanmar, in Southeast Asia). –The United Kingdom, (England), is currently under going the conversion process.

3. This map shows those countries that are still clinging to the old “English System” of measurement.

4. By fighting the change to the Metric System we are creating a situation where confusion can reign supreme! As a nation we in the United States feel that we are the “Big Kids on the Block!” –Unfortunately for us this is changing! Our status as a “Superpower” is being challenged by China. Now, don’t let the term “Superpower” throw you. –Being a Superpower means more than being powerful militarily. It also means being powerful economically. Within the next 10 years, it is estimated that China will be the most powerful nation in the world economic arena. –And when they begin to increase their appetite for “goods” they will far outstrip the U.S.

5. Remember China has a population of almost 1.3 BILLION people. That’s four times the amount of the U.S. –Imagine the population of Sylvania times four! This fit into the same area! –There are a lot of possible scenarios that can happen. »Some good and some bad. »It is up to us to make sure that they are good »And good communication is the key to that! China uses the metric system! –They aren’t going to change their ways to accommodate us! We are going to have to change our ways to compete and communicate with them!

6. How are we going to change in order to do this? Well, there has to be a beginning. We aren’t going to be able to just stop as a nation, and immediately change to the Metric System. We are going to have to learn to associate the amounts that we are used to with those of the Metric System. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s not going to be as difficult as you think either! What are those units and how are they related to those of the Metric System?

7. In the English System we use the “Pound” and those units which represent smaller and larger increments of that measurement. In the Metric System it is the “Gram.” –How are they related? One Kilogram, or 1,000 grams equals 2.2 pounds.

8. We use the Gallon to measure volume. What does the Metric System use? It uses the “Liter.” The Liter is closest to the quart in our system. Not exactly, but close.

9. In length the Foot or Yard is used in the English system. In the Metric system it is the “Meter.” A Meter is a little bigger than a yard. It is 39 inches long. A mile represents 1.6 kilometers. Therefore when you look at a car’s speedometer when it is on Km/Hr you’ll be shocked to see it at a higher number than you normally would. This can create all sorts of situations where if you are not careful you can “Fracture” a law or two!

10. There are some other side effects that will follow with this change! First of all, it will be easier to convert from one unit of measurement to another that deals with the same type. –That is to say it is easier for those who use the Metric System to change into different increments of measurement. This is because it is based on the number ten. –All you have to do to change from one unit to another is to move the decimal point. It’s not at all like the English System which doesn’t have a set number on which it is based. –There’s 12 inches in a foot, 3 feet in a yard, 16 ounces in a pound, 4 quarts in a gallon. See what I mean?

11. The Metric System can also be more precise than the English system. That is to say you can measure in smaller increments, instead of creating a fractional unit of measurement. We can actually measure the size of something as small as an atom by using the metric unit called a “Nanometer.” –A metric unit of distance equal to 10 -9 meter.

12. There have been some very serious accidents surrounding these conversion processes! Confusion over units during the process of metrication can sometimes lead to accidents. One of the most famous examples is the Gimli Glider, a Boeing 767 that ran out of fuel in Canada in 1983 due, in large part, to confusion at Air Canada during Canada's metrication.Gimli Glider Boeing 767CanadaAir Canada While not strictly an example of national metrication, the use of two different systems was the contributing factor in the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter in 1998.Mars Climate Orbiter – NASA specified metric units in the contract. NASA and other organisations worked in metric units but one subcontractor, Lockheed Martin, provided thruster performance data to the team in pound force seconds instead of newton seconds. The spacecraft was intended to orbit Mars at about 150 km altitude but the incorrect data meant that it descended to about 57 km and probably burned up in the Martian atmosphere. NASALockheed Martinpound forcenewtonMars That was a $327.6 million total loss!

13. So as you can see the problem of converting over to the metric System will not be without problems. But is has to be done!