The Metric System Is Here to Stay: Difference between revisions
The Metric System Is Here to Stay (view source)
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{{trope|wppage=Metrication in the United States}}
{{quote|''"'Ark at 'im! Calls 'isself a barman and don't know what a pint is! Why, a pint's the 'alf of a quart, and there's four quarts to the gallon. 'Ave to teach you the A, B, C next."
''"Never heard of 'em," said the barman shortly. "Litre and half litre--that's all we serve. There's the glasses on the shelf in front of you."''|'''''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'''''}}
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While futuristic science fiction embraces this trope, futuristic ''fantasy'' often averts it: imperial measurements seem more appropriate for a non-scientific milieu.
The metric system is at least for scientific applications superior to the imperial system - water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and boils at 100 degrees Celsius,<ref>approximately, given typical atmospheric pressure and chemical composition</ref> and 1 Calorie is the energy required to increase the temperature of 1 liter (which is also 1 kilogram) of water by 1 degree Celsius. Thus, it's not surprising that the United States actually ''does'' use the metric system already, in military and scientific endeavors, as well as on pharmaceuticals and nutritional information. (For example, soft drinks commonly come in 2- or 3-liter bottles.) In fact, the United States' measurements (not imperial - that would be British, and there ''are'' differences, e.g. 1 imperial gallon equals 1.20095 U.S. liquid gallons) are defined in metric units in relevant legislation. Further details can be found on [[wikipedia:
Just to note, the United States is one of only three countries, along with Burma (Myanmar) and Liberia, that have not adopted the SI (metric) as their official system. So it is generally considered only a matter of time.
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