Have You Seen the Roundest Object in the World?

it’s the roundest thing/object ever… (and part of the Avogadro project) 6.022140857 × 1023

Ok now that we have identified it what can we use it for?  Many science fans may or may not know about Avogadro’s number.  It is the number of units in a mole (no not the kind you see running around in dirt and grass).  A mole is defined by its molecular weight in grams 6.022140857 × 10 to the 23rd power.  These units can be made up of electrons or other atomic particles to qualify.  So knowing this has to do with how they made the roundest object that at least we are aware of.

The world’s roundest object helps solve the longest running problem in measurement — how to define the kilogram.
A kilogram isn’t what it used to be. Literally. The original name for it was the ‘grave’, proposed in 1793 but it fell victim to the French Revolution like its creator, Lavoisier. So begins the tale of the most unusual SI unit. The kilogram is the only base unit with a prefix in its name, and the only one still defined by a physical artifact, the international prototype kilogram or IPK.

But the problem with this definition has long been apparent. The IPK doesn’t seem to maintain its mass compared to 40 similar cylinders minted at the same time. The goal is therefore to eliminate the kilogram’s dependence on a physical object. Two main approaches are being considered to achieve this end: the Avogadro Project and the Watt Balance.

Pretty cool huh?  So are you ready to see this thing?

Let’s check out a video of the roundest object in the world on page 2

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