Metric Time - Problems

Problems

The main problem of metric time lies in the units. The International System of Units has only developed prefixes regarding 10 units exponentially in both the multiple and submultiple directions. The first three multiples would be viable for use within a metric time system; they are:

Multiple Name of Unit Seconds Minutes
101 decasecond 10
102 hectosecond 100 1.666
103 kilosecond 1 000 16.666

However, the SI Units’ fourth value is:

Multiple Name of Unit Seconds Minutes Hours Days Years
106 megasecond 1 000 000 16 666.666 277.777 11.574
109 gigasecond 1 000 000 000 16 666 666.666 277 777.777 11 574.074 31.689

This makes for relatively nonviable units with which to measure human time/life.

To make this system of prefixes work for metric time, standard units and prefixes would need to be developed or revived for the 4th and 5th exponents to make metric time viable to human life. Historically, the metric system included a myria- prefix to represent 104, but the SI disposed of it. 105 was represented using various ad hoc solutions; 100 000 meters composed a grade, 100 000 pascals composed a bar, and 100 000 dynes composed a newton. Meteorologists currently use a unit of 100 000 seconds (a quantity on the order of a day) to quantify atmospheric vorticity at the synoptic scale; the unit, however, does not have a name.

Multiple Name of Unit Seconds Minutes Hours Days
104 myriasecond 10 000 166.6 2.777
105 metric day 100 000 1 666.6 27.77 1.157

Read more about this topic:  Metric Time

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