Fundamental Units
International System of Units
The International System of Units (SI) established in 1960 by the General Conference of Weights and Measures under the Treaty of the Meter is based upon: the meter (in) for length; the kilogram (kg) for mass; the second (s) for time; the Kelvin (K) for temperature; the ampere (A) for electrical current; and the candela (ed) for luminous intensity.
AU other units of SI are derived from these base units by assigning the value unity to the proportionality constants in the defining equations, e.g.,
I Pa = I N/m2 = (I kg - in / seC2) / M2
= I kg - M-1 . sec-2.
Taking 1/100 of the meter as the unit for length and 1/1000 of the kilogram as the unit for mass gives rise similarly to the cgs system, often used in physics and chemistry.
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