Imperial Measurement facts
While investigating facts about Imperial Measurements and Imperial Measurement System, I found out little known, but curios details like:
British people tend to be “bi-measurement” the same way some people are bilingual. Both imperial and metric units factor into their lives.
how imperial measurement originated?
Myanmar (Burma) doesn't use the metric system, but it doesn't use the imperial system either, instead, they have their own system of measurement called the Burmese system
What imperial measurement is equal to 2.54cm?
In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what countries use imperial measurements. Here are 33 of the best facts about Imperial Measurements Chart and Imperial Measurements Length I managed to collect.
what's imperial measurements?
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Assload' and 'Buttload' are actual defined units of measure--the former being the maximum load of a donkey (about 8 bushels), the latter a large cask with a volume of 491 liters/108 Imperial gallons.
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Not only was the U.S. one of the first nations to agree to develop the metric system, but all imperial system measurements are defined in terms of metric units
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The mix use of Metric and Imperial measurements has caused a lot of damage and disasters already
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British people tend to be "bi-measurement" in much the same way that some people are bilingual, with both imperial and metric units factoring into their lives.
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A $125 million mars orbiter crashed because NASA scientists converted imperial to metric measurements wrong
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South Korea issues fines for using non-metric measurements in commercial products, including Imperial units and traditional units
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In 1916, Imperial German agents blew up a munitions plant in New Jersey to decrease the amount of supplies the US was providing to the Allies. The resluting explosion was equal to an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter Scale and left debris fragments in the Statue of Liberty.
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A "chain" is an official imperial unit of measurement equal to 22 yards (66 feet). One chain is the length between the two wickets in the game of cricket. Furthermore, 10 chains equal one furlong, and there are 8 furlongs in 1 mile.
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UK law requires draft beer to be sold in imperial measurements only. Crown stamps indicate the glass fits the standard measure for a liquid pint, while the number indicates where the glass was made. Today, most pint glasses in Britain are made in France.
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A $300 million Mars orbiter, designed to take atmospheric measurements of Mars, was destroyed because Lockheed's software provided output in Imperial units instead of SI (metric), as specified by NASA.
Why imperial measurements are better than metric?
You can easily fact check why do we use imperial measurements by examining the linked well-known sources.
As of 2019, the only countries using the Imperial System of measurement are the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar.
The United States has 2 of the original prototype kilograms, and all official measurements are based on the kilogram standard and converted to imperial units, therefore the US is technically using the Metric System - source
The Mendenhall Order of 1893, which defined the US yard and pound in relation to the standard metric metre and kilogram. The reason was that the metric standard measures were more reliable, so today US imperial measures are backed by the metric system - source
The US doesn't use the Imperial system of measurement, but a very close system called "United States customary units," which includes the lack of "stone" for mass, but includes teaspoon and tablespoon
Gunter's Chain - a measurement device invented in 1620 which reconciled the Imperial and decimal systems. The 66 foot long chain is also the basis for the modern length of a cricket pitch. - source
When did imperial measurements change to metric?
Ton" has a ton of different meanings when used as a measurement, a ton of water under the imperial system would be 2,240 lb but a metric ton of water would only be ~2,205 lb of liquid
How imperial measurements works?
The EU allowed the UK and Ireland to keep Imperial measurements dating back to the Middle Ages, fearing that forcing them to abolish the Imperial system would have damaged EU trade with the United States.
Even today, many people in the United States still use the imperial system of measurements in everyday life.
The United States Customary Units (US system of weights and measurments) predates the British reforms into the Imperial system in 1824
Although you measure weight in either pounds or grams, they aren't measures of the same thing. Pounds measure force, similar to metric newtons, while grams measure mass. The imperial measure for mass is the "slug"
While we are busy arguing about Metric Vs. Imperial, China has its own measuring units such as jīn (500g/1.1lb) and chǐ (33.3cm/13.12in).
