| “Measurement uncertainties are never zero” said Prof. Paul De Bievre, an Independent Consultant on Metrology in Chemistry (MiC) during a NANO Talk session at NANOTEC on the topic of “The re-determination of the Avogrado Number and the re-definition of the SI units mole (and kilogram)”. Prof. De Bievre statement can be put into a simple context of buying a kilo of fruits. If you go to a grocery store and decide to buy a kilo of fruits it is NOT exactly one kilo of fruits you are buying, even if the scale says it is one kilo. There are other factors that come into play such as gravity, mass, etc. However, because the differences are so minute that you do not notice it. |
| Prof. De Bievre said that discussions are ongoing about re-defining several SI units, especially the kilogram and the mole. Several proposals have been put on the table for consideration. One of the proposals is to separate the definition of the mole from the definition of the kilogram. Another proposal is to fix several fundamental constants, and base the definition of several SI units on the values of these constants. The value of the kilogram would then be based on the fixed value of the Planck constant.Prof. De Bievre is currently in town to attend and speak at the 10th International Conference on Nuclear Analytical Methods in the Life Sciences (NAMLS-10). His visit to NANOTEC was initiated by the National Institute of Metrology Thailand (NIMT).NANO Talk is a monthly public forum organized by NANOTEC for researchers and visiting professors to exchange knowledge and be updated on technology trends. Visiitng professors to Thailand are encouraged to participate. Please contact NANOTEC if you are interested.
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