Avogadro Project, Re-defining the Kilogram

Making the roundest object in the world - very cool stuff:

CSIRO scientists and optical engineers are working to turn a silicon cylinder into the perfect one kilogram sphere. The Avogadro Project plan is to bring together enough atoms of one substance, silicon, to make the perfect kilo.

Presently the kilogram is defined by a metal cylinder in a vault in France. Now, the decision has been made to create a new kilogram standard using exceptionally pure silicon.

CSIRO Project Profile
Making the perfect kilogram (audio 5274 KB)

Well, since they discovered that a scanning tunneling microscope can be used to pick up and deposit individual atoms, it is theoretically possible to build a kilogram reference by counting out the requisite number of atoms.

Beanbag

Beanbag said:

Well, since they discovered that a scanning tunneling microscope can be used to pick up and deposit individual atoms, it is theoretically possible to build a kilogram reference by counting out the requisite number of atoms.

Beanbag

Click to expand...

[some time in the year 2345]


http://www.sarvbiolabs.com/images/scientist_microscope.jpg

...thirteen billion six hundred million three hundred and twenty-five thousand four hundred and six...

...thirteen billion six hundred million three hundred and twenty-five thousand four hundred and SEVEN!

ONE gram done.

OK, moving on...

[/some time in the year 2345]

Zep said:

[some time in the year 2345]

http://www.sarvbiolabs.com/images/scientist_microscope.jpg
http://www.sarvbiolabs.com/images/scientist_microscope.jpg

...thirteen billion six hundred million three hundred and twenty-five thousand four hundred and six...

...thirteen billion six hundred million three hundred and twenty-five thousand four hundred and SEVEN!

ONE gram done.

OK, moving on...

[/some time in the year 2345]

Click to expand...

BOSS: Anyone know what time it is?

MICROSCOPIST: It's three-twelve and 13 seconds.... AH CRAP!!...One. Two. Three.

thank god for grad students...

The polishing/metrology work must be an extraordinarily meticulous task.