Difference between revisions of "Bureau international des poids et mesures"

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The '''Bureau interntional des poids et mesures''' ('''BIPM''', sometimes referred to in English as the '''International Bureau of Weights and Measures''') is an international organization based in Sèvres, just outside Paris, France. It was established in 1875 by the [[Metre Convention]].
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The '''Bureau interntional des poids et mesures''' ('''BIPM''', sometimes referred to in English as the '''International Bureau of Weights and Measures''') is an international organization based in Sèvres, just outside Paris, France. It was established in 1875 by the [[Metre Convention]] to conserve the new international prototypes of the [[metre]] and the [[kilogram]] and to arrange for comparison of national standards: in its modern role, it acts as an international version of a [[national measurement laboratory]] (such as the [[National Institute for Standards and Technology]] (NIST) in United States or the [[National Physical Laboratory (United Kingdom)|National Physical Laboratory]] in the United Kingdom).
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==Functions==
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The BIPM defines its functions as:<ref name="report">{{citation | title = Director’s Report on the Activity and Management of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures | url = http://www.bipm.org/utils/en/pdf/DIR2009-EN.pdf | publisher = International Bureau of Weights and Measures | year = 2009 | page = 181}}.</ref>
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*establishing fundamental standards and scales for the measurement of the principal physical quantities and maintaining the international prototypes;
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*carrying out comparisons of national and international standards;
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*ensuring the coordination of corresponding measurement techniques;
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*carrying out and coordinating measurements of the fundamental physical constants relevant to these activities.
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==Status and structure==
  
 
==Directors of the BIPM==
 
==Directors of the BIPM==

Revision as of 13:54, 15 August 2010

The Bureau interntional des poids et mesures (BIPM, sometimes referred to in English as the International Bureau of Weights and Measures) is an international organization based in Sèvres, just outside Paris, France. It was established in 1875 by the Metre Convention to conserve the new international prototypes of the metre and the kilogram and to arrange for comparison of national standards: in its modern role, it acts as an international version of a national measurement laboratory (such as the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) in United States or the National Physical Laboratory in the United Kingdom).

Functions

The BIPM defines its functions as:[1]

  • establishing fundamental standards and scales for the measurement of the principal physical quantities and maintaining the international prototypes;
  • carrying out comparisons of national and international standards;
  • ensuring the coordination of corresponding measurement techniques;
  • carrying out and coordinating measurements of the fundamental physical constants relevant to these activities.

Status and structure

Directors of the BIPM

Name Nationality
1875–1877 G. Govi Italy
1877–1879 J. Pernet Switzerland
1879–1889 O. J. Broch Norway
1889–1915 J.-R. Benoît France
1915–1936 C.-E. Guillaume Switzerland
1936–1951 A. Pérard France
1951–1961 C. Volet Switzerland
1962–1977 J. Terrien France
1978–1988 P. Giacomo France
1988–2003 T. J. Quinn United Kingdom
2004– A. J. Wallard United Kingdom
Source: BIPM[2]

Notes and references

Notes

References

External links

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