Coherent systems of physical units

Most American physicists have great zest for the study of physical phenomena but complete apathy toward the problems involved in the development of a convenient system of units for general use in describing the phenomena. This attitude is understandable and even defensible, since the phenomena themselves and their interpretation are the subjects of prime importance, whereas the units used in quantitative description are of secondary importance. For example, if some nuclear physicist, for reasons of his own, chooses to publish his results in a table of nuclear properties with masses expressed in long tons, cross sections in acres, and spins in Btuṡhrs, these properties are stated definitely and can be expressed without serious difficulty in more conventional units for comparison with the results of other investigators; however, it is admittedly a matter of convenience for all nuclear physicists to employ certain standard units. We all recognize that the establishment of a convenient set of units for general use is desirable but most of us are so preoccupied with our own immediate research interests that we have little time or energy to devote to the matter.

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