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Scientists Approve Terms for Largest, Smallest Measurements

时间:2022-12-02 00:16:00

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(单词翻译)

An international group of scientists has expanded the metric terms used to express the largest and smallest measurements.

The changes were decided1 at a recent meeting of the 27th General Conference on Weights and Measures, which took place near Paris, France. The group sets international standards for scientific measurements.

The new terms are known as prefixes3. A prefix2 is a word, letter or number placed before a base word to change its meaning.

Examples of existing prefixes used in the metric system are kilo- and milli-. When these prefixes are added to the metric unit meter, they become kilometer and millimeter.

This method of combining terms makes it easier to express size and distances. For example, saying "kilometer" is easier than having to say 1,000 meters. And using "millimeter" is much easier than having to say "one thousandth of a meter."

The worldwide standard for the metric system is known as the International System of Units. Changes to this standard are decided by scientists and government representatives from around the world.

Britain's National Physical Laboratory, which led the push for new prefixes, confirmed the new changes were approved in a resolution at the meeting.

It marked the first time in more than 30 years that new terms have been added to the International System of Units. Representatives attending the meeting said the need for new prefixes had grown because of scientific advances and huge increases in digital data storage.

The new prefixes were created to express "the biggest and smallest levels ever measured," said Richard Brown. He is head of Metrology at the National Physical Laboratory.

The new terms for the largest units are ronna and quetta. And the new expressions for the smallest are ronto and quecto.

Ronna is represented by a one, followed by 27 zeros, while quetta has 30 zeros. For measuring extremely small things, ronto has 27 zeros after the decimal4 point, while quecto would have 30 zeros.

Brown told The Associated Press the new prefixes will make it easier for scientists to describe things they already known about. He said the Earth weighs about six ronnagrams. The weight of Jupiter5, on the other hand, can be expressed as two quettagrams.

The mass of an electron can be described as one rontogram. And, scientists can now say that a single byte6 of data on a smartphone increases the phone's mass by one quectogram.

Brown said "the diameter of the entire observable universe is just one ronnameter."

He added that the new names were not chosen without careful thought. The first letter of the new prefixes had to be one that had not been used in other prefixes and units.

"There were only the letters ‘r' and ‘q' that weren't already taken," Brown said. "Following that, there's a precedent7 that they sound similar to Greek letters and that big number prefixes end with an ‘a' and smaller numbers with an ‘o.'"

Brown noted8 that it was "high time" for the terms to be added. "(We) need new words as things expand," Brown said. "In just a few decades, the world has become a very different place."

Words in This Story

unit – n. a measure used to express an amount or quantity

standard – n. a level of quality, especially one that is acceptable9

advance – n. a new discovery or invention

diameter – n. a straight line that goes from one side of a circle to the other side and through the center, or the length of this line

precedent – v. an action or decision that is used as an example when someone wants to do a similar thing in the future

decade – n. a period of 10 years


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
2 prefix 1lizVl     
n.前缀;vt.加…作为前缀;置于前面
参考例句:
  • We prefix "Mr."to a man's name.我们在男士的姓名前加“先生”。
  • In the word "unimportant ","un-" is a prefix.在单词“unimportant”中“un”是前缀。
3 prefixes 735e5189fad047c92ac9f292e73ed303     
n.前缀( prefix的名词复数 );人名前的称谓;前置代号(置于前面的单词或字母、数字)
参考例句:
  • The prefixes cis and trans are frequently applied to disubstituted cycloalkanes. 词头顺和反常用于双取代的环烷烃。 来自辞典例句
  • Why do you use so many prefixes while talking? 你说起话来,怎么这么多中缀? 来自互联网
4 decimal 3xpxo     
adj.十进的,小数的,十进制的;n.小数
参考例句:
  • He knows the decimal rules.他懂得十进制的用法。
  • Britain converted to decimal currency on February 15th,1971.英国于1971年2月15日改用十进位币制。
5 Jupiter mz2zM     
n.木星
参考例句:
  • Jupiter is unlike the Earth in almost every way.木星与地球几乎完全不同。
  • The astronomers were taking an observation of Jupiter.天文学家们正在观测木星。
6 byte jxgzH5     
n.[计]字节,比特
参考例句:
  • A byte composed of three binary element.一个字节由三个二进制位组成。
  • Eight bits make a byte.八比特构成一字节。
7 precedent sSlz6     
n.先例,前例;惯例;adj.在前的,在先的
参考例句:
  • Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗?
  • This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。
8 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
9 acceptable NIByZ     
adj.可接受的,合意的,受欢迎的
参考例句:
  • The terms of the contract are acceptable to us.我们认为这个合同的条件可以接受。
  • Air pollution in the city had reached four times the acceptable levels.这座城市的空气污染程度曾高达可接受标准的四倍。

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