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Depending on your location, the speed limit you encounter may be displayed in kilometers per hour instead of miles per hour. This conversion can have a significant impact. mikroman6 / Getty ImagesThe kilometer (km) is a recognized unit of measurement within the metric system. It comes from the French term "kilomètre" and is used to measure both length and distance along a straight trajectory.
Kilometers are typically preferred over smaller units like meters or millimeters when measuring long distances such as roads or highways. A larger unit is essential for these types of measurements. Keep reading to explore more about the metric system and the situations in which kilometers should be used instead of smaller units.
How Does the Metric System Function?
The metric system is easy to grasp because it allows you to measure distances or volume in powers of 10. Meters serve as the foundational unit for all other measurements. For instance, a centimeter is 1/100th of a meter, and a millimeter is 1/100th of that measurement.
While this smaller unit range is suitable for measuring the area of a room, it becomes impractical when estimating large distances or speeds on a highway with such tiny measurements.
Converting From Imperial to Metric
The imperial system operates in a similar manner, but it substitutes miles, feet, and inches for kilometers, meters, and centimeters.
One mile is equivalent to 1.609 km, one foot is approximately one-third of a meter, and one inch is about 2.5 centimeters. It's important to note that this conversion applies to a land mile — not a nautical mile, which is slightly longer (around 1.8 km).
Runners are among the few groups who frequently remember these conversions, as races are typically measured in kilometers. However, for everyone else, there are various apps and conversion tools available for quick distance calculations.
Why Does the American Pronunciation of Kilometer Place Primary Stress on the Second Syllable?
In countries that use the metric system, "kilometer" is usually pronounced with the stress on the first syllable (KI-lo-meter). On the other hand, in the United States, where the imperial mile is the standard, the pronunciation may place the stress on the second syllable.
This second-stress pronunciation is also common in words like speedometer, though the first-stress pronunciation is considered more accurate according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
France is often credited with the creation of the metric system. The concept was initially proposed by the mathematician and astronomer Gabriel Mouton, but it wasn't officially adopted until 1795 during the French Revolution.
