Metrication History & Policy Flashcards
6 cards from real CMS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Metrication History & Policy flashcards as text
The Mars Climate Orbiter was lost in 1999 primarily due to:
Answer: A metric/imperial unit mismatch between contractors
The Mars Climate Orbiter was lost because one engineering team used imperial units while another used metric, causing a navigation error.
Which international agreement governs the maintenance and dissemination of SI units globally?
Answer: Metre Convention
The Metre Convention (Treaty of the Metre), signed in 1875, governs international cooperation on measurement standards and the SI.
Before 2019, the kilogram was defined by:
Answer: A physical platinum-iridium alloy artifact stored in France
Until 2019, the kilogram was defined by the International Prototype of the Kilogram, a platinum-iridium cylinder kept at the BIPM in Sèvres.
The Omnibus Trade Act of 1988 designated the metric system as the preferred system for U.S. trade but made metrication mandatory for:
Answer: Federal agencies only
The 1988 act made metric mandatory for federal agencies but left private sector metrication voluntary.
Which organization publishes the 'Metric Style Guide' used as a reference for metrication specialists in the U.S.?
Answer: NIST
NIST publishes the official metric style guide (NIST SP 811) that serves as the authoritative reference for metric usage in the U.S.
The metric system originated from a need for:
Answer: A universal, rational measurement system based on natural constants
The metric system was created to provide a universal, decimal-based system derived from natural phenomena rather than arbitrary historical standards.