science

Swiss units of measurement

Swiss units of measurement is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Swiss units of measurement rather than just read about it. In short: A number of units of measurement were used in Switzerland to measure length, mass, etc. Metric system was optional in 1868, and has been compulsory since 1877.

Key takeaways

Swiss units of measurement belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Swiss units of measurement to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Swiss units of measurement from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A number of units of measurement were used in Switzerland to measure length, mass, etc. Metric system was optional in 1868, and has been compulsory since 1877.

System before metric system Units were varied and were not in fixed values. During the transition to the metric system, units were fixed. Before 1856, almost every canton had its own system of units.

Length A number of units were used to measure length. One pied (1 fuss) was equal to 0.30 m, according to the fixed value defined during the transition to the metric system. Some other units and their fixed values are given below: 1 ligne = 1/144 pied 1 linie = 1/144 pied 1 pouce = 1/12 pied 1 zoll = 1/12 pied 1 aune = 2 pied (or 4 pied) 1 elle = 2 pied 1 brache = 2 pied 1 toise = 6 pied 1 ruthe = 6 pied 1 perche = 16 pied (or 10 pied) 1 lieue = 16 000 pied. Lieue was used as a road measure.

Area One arpent was 400 pied2 or 1.44 ha

Mass A number of units were used to measure mass.

Ordinary One livre (pfund of the Zollverein) was equal to 0.500 kg according to the fixed value defined during the transition to the metric system. Some other units and their fixed values are given below: 1 loth = 1/32 livre 1 once = 1/16 livre 1 quintal = 100 livre.

Medicine (apothecary or pharmacy) One livre was equal to 0.375 kg according to the fixed value defined during the transition to the metric system. Some other units and their fixed values are given below: 1 grain = 1/5760 livre 1 scruple = 1/288 livre 1 drachme = 1/96 livre 1 once = 1/12 livre.

Capacity Two main systems, dry and liquid, were used.

Dry Several units were used to measure dry capacity. Some units are given below: 1 quarteron (divided into 1/4 and 1/16) = 10 emine = 15 L (0.4257 bushel) 1 double quarteron = 2 quarteron 1 sac = 10 quarteron. Quarteron is the volume of 30 livre of pure water at 4 °C. Quarteron was equal to 5/9 of a cubic pied.

Liquid Several units were used to measure dry capacity. Some units are given below: 1 setier = 25 pot 1 muid = 4 setiers 1 pot = 1.5 L (1.585 quarts). Pot was the bulk of 3 livres weight of pure water at the temperature of 4 °C. Pot was equal to 1/18 pied3 and was subdivided into 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Swiss units of measurement

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Swiss units of measurement claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Swiss units of measurement before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Swiss units of measurement ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Swiss units of measurement

In research: Swiss units of measurement appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Swiss units of measurement in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Swiss units of measurement is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Culture of Switzerland, Units of measurement by country, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Swiss units of measurement outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Swiss units of measurement in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Swiss units of measurement means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Swiss units of measurement out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Swiss units of measurement in simple terms?

A number of units of measurement were used in Switzerland to measure length, mass, etc. Metric system was optional in 1868, and has been compulsory since 1877.

Why does Swiss units of measurement matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Swiss units of measurement?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Swiss units of measurement.