nist

A kilogram does not weigh a kilogram anymore.

At least according to NIST.

Scale

So how exactly is a mass of 1 kilogram defined? In 1889 it was defined as a mass of platinum-iridium cylinder, and it's almost equal to the mass of 1 liter of water. Originally there were 40 cylinders made in 1884. To this day it's the only International Systems of Units (SI) unit still defined by an physical artifact.

Subscribe to RSS - nist