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How We're Redefining the kg

Veritasium · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Physics & space (other)Fundamental physics

What it is

Veritasium explains why the kilogram is being redefined in terms of Planck's constant rather than a physical metal artifact. It visits NIST to show the Kibble balance and why measuring mass precisely is hard.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Praised as an excellent, accessible account of why the kilogram's definition changed, in redefinition threads.

  • 3 people recommended it
  • 3 different months
  • 2 strong recommendations
  • first 2017, last 2024

What HN commenters said

  1. “There's also an excellent video from Veritasium, a science and education YouTube channel”

    How the kilogram is being redefined

    jedimastert, 2018-10 · Strong recommendation · in “Redefining the Kilogram”

  2. “Veritasium (Derick, who I've met personally) does a fantastic job on these fundamental science subjects.”

    Explains Le Grand K and Planck's constant

    omgJustTest, 2024-03 · Strong recommendation · in “Le Grand K (2018)”

  3. “I found the Veritasium video to be a bit more interesting for the "why" aspect of this change”

    Explains why the kilogram definition is being changed

    falcolas, 2017-10 · Recommendation · in “Why scientists are redefining the kilogram”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: kilogram, planck constant, kibble balance, metrology, nist

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