<P> In 1837 the metric system was re-adopted by France , and also during the first half of the 19th century was adopted by the scientific community . In the middle of the century , James Clerk Maxwell put forward the concept of a coherent system where a small number of units of measure were defined as base units , and all other units of measure , called derived units , were defined in terms of the base units . Maxwell proposed three base units : length , mass and time . This concept worked well with mechanics , but attempts to describe electromagnetic forces in terms of these units encountered difficulties . By the end of the 19th century , four principal variants of the metric system were in use for the measurement of electromagnetic phenomena : three based on the centimetre -- gram -- second system of units ( CGS system ) , and one on the metre - kilogram - second system of units ( MKS system ) . This impasse was resolved by Giovanni Giorgi , who in 1901 proved that a coherent system that incorporated electromagnetic units had to have an electromagnetic unit as a fourth base unit . </P>
<P> In 1837 the metric system was re-adopted by France , and also during the first half of the 19th century was adopted by the scientific community . In the middle of the century , James Clerk Maxwell put forward the concept of a coherent system where a small number of units of measure were defined as base units , and all other units of measure , called derived units , were defined in terms of the base units . Maxwell proposed three base units : length , mass and time . This concept worked well with mechanics , but attempts to describe electromagnetic forces in terms of these units encountered difficulties . By the end of the 19th century , four principal variants of the metric system were in use for the measurement of electromagnetic phenomena : three based on the centimetre -- gram -- second system of units ( CGS system ) , and one on the metre - kilogram - second system of units ( MKS system ) . This impasse was resolved by Giovanni Giorgi , who in 1901 proved that a coherent system that incorporated electromagnetic units had to have an electromagnetic unit as a fourth base unit . </P>
who invented and where was the metric system invented
who invented and where was the metric system invented
James Clerk Maxwell re-adopted by France
James Clerk Maxwell re-adopted by France