Re: Universal Measures

De: Scott Jann <sjann@...>
Fecha: Viernes 2 de Octubre de 1998 16:16


>On Fri, 2 Oct 1998, Carlos Thompson wrote:
>> Lets take a well defined radiation period of one element, probably
hydrogen,
>> and the lenght light travels in that period in vacuum, those would be our
>> basic measures of both time and lengh: an hydrogen time, and a light
>> hydrogen time.
>I like using hydrogen as a basis very much, since it is the only really
>universal thing.  (i.e. water, is abundant on earth, but not space, just
>like humans).  BTW- do you know off hand how long and how far these are?
Hope I know... I'll chack my literature back home

[...]
>> Mass would be derived from a proton mass and electric load from the
electron
>> load.
>And temperature based on the boiling point of H?  0 = absolute zero, 1 =
>the boiling point?  This probably could be derived from electronic energy
>as well.
Well, okay... I don't know if H's boiling point would vary... electronic
energy would probably be better.

>> The problem is such measures (but probaly lenght) would be to small for
>> humans, (a proton mass is 1/6.02x10^23 g so our body masses would be
around
>> 2^95 proton masses.
>
>Writing that many bits sucks, but if the common prefixes were for the
>units were accomodating for that, i.e. if a shmo-proton-mass was 2^96
>proton masses, just like the metric kilo-gram is 10^3 grams, I don't think
>it would be that awkward.  You'd just be used to the prefixed (or
>whatever) forms.

But, we have in the metric system: femto, pico, nano, micro, mili, centi,
deci, deca, hepto, kilo, miria, mega, giga, tero and some others I don't
remember.  If they are too many for remembering, we would have to remember
12 prefixes for 2^8 steeps (4^4) to get the shmo, and i wonder how many for
giving the earth mass, the sun mass, et cetera.  Or would just use
scientific notation in base two (or four).

-- Carlos