Outline of the metric system

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the metric system – various loosely related systems of measurement that trace their origin to the decimal system of measurement introduced in France during the French Revolution. The metric system can be described as all of the following: System – set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole. System of measurement – set of units which can be used to specify anything which can be measured. Historically, systems of measurement were initially defined and regulated to support trade and internal commerce. Units were arbitrarily defined by fiat (see statutory law) by the ruling entities and were not necessarily well inter-related or self-consistent. When later analyzed and scientifically, some quantities were designated as base units, meaning all other needed units of measure could be derived from them. International System of Units (SI) is the system of units that has been officially endorsed under the Metre Convention since 1960. Child articles are: SI base unit SI derived unit Non-SI units mentioned in the SI Metric prefixes Discussions of the underlying philosophy of the metric system (and other systems of measure) include: Coherence (units of measurement) Realisation (metrology) Articles that exist for many units of measure that are related to various flavours of the metric system are catalogued below. History of the metric system – the metric system developed from a decimal system of measurement adopted by France after the French Revolution. Principal dates in the development of the metric system include: 1792 – Initiation of a decimal system of measurement by the French Revolutionary Government 1799 – The Metre des archives and kilogram des archives become the standards for the metric system. 1861 – Concept of unit coherence introduced by Maxwell – the base units were the centimetre, gram and second.