Measure for Measure: The Story of Imperial, Metric and Other Units

Book Details

• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

• Author: Alex Hebra

• Language: English

• ISBN: 9780801870729

• Pages: 144

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.0 inches

About The Book

Measure for Measure by Alex Hebra offers an engaging and instructive history of measurement systems from ancient times to the present. The book traces humanity's ongoing quest to quantify reality, exploring how measurement systems such as the cubit, the angstrom, and the parsec first emerged and evolved.

Hebra delves into the significance of measurement in various scientific and engineering fields, including mechanical engineering, physics, optics, and astronomy. He particularly focuses on the development of the metric system and its global adoption, while also considering the United States' adherence to the imperial system despite being officially a metric nation since 1893.

By chronicling civilization’s attempts to calculate distance, volume, mass, energy, and time, Hebra offers a compelling narrative that highlights both the logic and the cultural factors behind the systems of measurement. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the intersection of science, history, and the evolution of measurement practices. It is a thoughtful exploration of how units of measurement have shaped and continue to shape the way we understand and interact with the world.