Resolution 12 of the 11th CGPM (1960)
Système International d'Unités
The 11th Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures (CGPM),
considering
- Resolution 6 of the 10th CGPM, by which it adopted six base units on which to establish a practical system of measurement for international use:
length metre m mass kilogram kg time second s electric current ampere A thermodynamic temperature degree Kelvin °K luminous intensity candela cd - Resolution 3 adopted by the Comité International des Poids et Mesures (CIPM) in 1956,
- the recommendation adopted by the CIPM in 1958 concerning an abbreviation for the name of the system, and prefixes to form multiples and submultiples of the units,
decides
- the system founded on the six base units above is called the "Système International d'Unités";
- the international abbreviation of the name of the system is SI;
- names of multiples and submultiples of the units are formed by means of the following prefixes:
Multiplying factor Prefix Symbol 1 000 000 000 000 = 1012 tera T 1 000 000 000 = 109 giga G 1 000 000 = 106 mega M 1 000 = 103 kilo k 100 = 102 hecto h 10 = 101 deca da Multiplying factor Prefix Symbol 0.1 = 10–1 deci d 0.01 = 10–2 centi c 0.001 = 10–3 milli m 0.000 001 = 10–6 micro µ 0.000 000 001 = 10–9 nano n 0.000 000 000 001 = 10–12 pico p - the units listed below are used in the system, without excluding others which might be added later.
Supplementary units
| Plane angle | radian | rad |
| Solid angle | steradian | sr |
Derived units
| area | square metre | m2 | |
| volume | cubic metre | m3 | |
| frequency | hertz | Hz | 1/s |
| mass density (density) | kilogram per cubic metre | kg/m3 | |
| speed, velocity | metre per second | m/s | |
| angular velocity | radian per second | rad/s | |
| acceleration | metre per second squared | m/s2 | |
| angular acceleration | radian per second squared | rad/s2 | |
| force | newton | N | kg · m/s2 |
| pressure (mechanical stress) | newton per square metre | N/m2 | |
| kinematic viscosity | square metre per second | m2/s | |
| dynamic viscosity | newton-second per square metre | N · s/m2 | |
| work, energy, quantity of heat | joule | J | N · m |
| power | watt | W | J/s |
| quantity of electricity | coulomb | C | A · s |
| tension (voltage), difference, electromotive force | volt | V | W/A |
| electric field strength | volt per metre | V/m | |
| electric resistance | ohm | Ω | V/A |
| capacitance | farad | F | A · s/V |
| magnetic flux | weber | Wb | V · s |
| inductance | henry | H | V · s/A |
| magnetic flux density | tesla | T | Wb/m2 |
| magnetic field strength | ampere per metre | A/m | |
| magnetomotive force | ampere | A | |
| luminous flux | lumen | lm | cd · sr |
| luminance | candela per square metre | cd/m2 | |
| illuminance | lux | lx | lm/m2 |
DOI : 10.59161/CGPM1960RES12E
The reader should note that the official version of this Resolution is the French textNOTE
The CGPM later abrogated certain of its decisions and extended the list of prefixes:
- The name and symbol for the unit of thermodynamic temperature were modified by the 13th CGPM in 1967 (Resolution 3).
- A seventh base unit, the mole, was adopted by the 14th CGPM in 1971 (Resolution 3).
- Further prefixes were adopted by the 12th CGPM in 1964 (Resolution 8), the 15th CGPM in 1975 (Resolution 10), and the 19th CGPM in 1991 (Resolution 4).
- The 20th CGPM in 1995 abrogated the class of supplementary units in the SI (Resolution 8). These are now considered as derived units.
- The 13th CGPM in 1967 (Resolution 6) specified other units which should be added to this list of derived units. In principle, the list is without limit.
- Modern practice is to use the phrase "amount of heat" rather than "quantity of heat", because the word quantity has a different meaning in metrology.
- Modern practice is to use the phrase "amount of electricity" rather than "quantity of electrcity" (see above).
