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The definition of a kilogram is as far I know,

Kilogram: The mass of a cylinder made of platinum-iridium alloy kept at International Bureau of Weights and Measures is defined as 1 kg.

But it is not possible to go and check that reference all the time. So is there any way to check the accuracy of checking 1kg?

Qmechanic
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Debanjan Mondal
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    You can be sure you'll never have exactly 1kg with infinite precision. The thing is: what precisioni is enough for you? Then you'll have to look for an appropiate instrument, and you have to rely on the technical specification and the calibration certificate. – FGSUZ May 22 '18 at 20:30
  • I am not asking about much precision. Lets assume It will be ok if I can check if my daily needs bread, flour are exact 1 kg or 999 gm. – Debanjan Mondal May 22 '18 at 20:43
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    You're missing FGSUZ's point. If you use a kitchen scale to weigh out 1kg of flour, and the readout on the scale says "1000 g", that does not mean that you have exactly 1kg of flour on the scale. Even if your scale was perfectly accurate, it still would only mean that you had somewhere between 999.5 g and 1000.5 g. – Solomon Slow May 22 '18 at 21:52
  • P.S.: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0799J2WJW/ref=sspa_dk_detail_6?th=1 – Solomon Slow May 22 '18 at 21:56
  • Yes that is what i am confused about, how do i know had somewhere between 999.5 g and 1000.5 g. it may be < 999.5 , the weight on amazon, how can i trust that also – Debanjan Mondal May 23 '18 at 05:42
  • Re, "how can i trust [the weight on Amazon]." You have to trust somebody. Your only choice is which manufacturer. You have to trust the manufacturer. They have to trust some independent testing laboratory. The lab must trust their national standards body (e.g., ANSI), and the national standards body has to trust the BIPM. Maybe Project Avogadro will shorten that chain of trust some day. – Solomon Slow May 23 '18 at 16:33

1 Answers1

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You measure it on a calibrated scale.

But because local gravity varies by 0.25% around the Earth, you generally have a set of calibrated masses with your scale and (at least on digital scales) a software option to perform a calibration.

These masses are checked against a mass at the maker of the scale, and those masses are checked by a calibration service company, whose masses are checked by some national laboratory, and so on until the original Paris Kg.

This process is a bit annoying, prone to error and ultimately involves carrying lumps of metal to Paris - so there is a plan to redefine the Kg in a way that any laboratory can make their own measurement

Martin Beckett
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  • Good answer. This chain of calibrations, from the individual scale via National labs to the international standard, is called "traceability" in metrology (the science of measurements). The plan to redefine the kg will not remove the issue of traceabiltity: while it will enable National labs to reproduce the standard, the individual kitchen scale will probably not use that technology and will still have to be calibrated in the way you describe. – Stephan Matthiesen May 23 '18 at 08:58