The Use of SI Units

Abstract

It is intended that, generally, the SI system of units shall be used in the Society's publications, in accordance with accepted rules. It is important to appreciate that SI units have evolved, that further additions and amendments may be made, and, particularly, that there is still lack of uniformity in interpretation and application of the system. It may be argued that the Society, through its Publications Committee, should take a lead in proposing and adopting one well‐considered procedure. On the other hand, it can be maintained that what is required is a clear exposition of the “state of the art”, and that it is this that the Society can and should provide to guide readers of its publications and contributors to them.This paper, sponsored by the Publications Committee, is designed to serve as a guide to SI units and the use of the SI system. It owes its inception to MrR. Murphy of the Department of Industrial Chemistry, The Queen's University, Belfast. It was his “Notes on the Use of SI Units”, submitted to the Committee, which led to the decision that a more general paper on SI units should be produced. A large part of the information regarding SI equivalents for cgs (centimetre‐gram‐second) and ft‐lb‐sec (foot‐pound‐second) units is taken from his paper. The Committee is much indebted to him for this. It is also much obliged to him for the many helpful and instructive comments he made following very thorough reading of the paper in draft.