Why has the USA not yet widely adopted the metric system of weights and measures?
448553
because US is big enough not to follow people's system, even the SI that is widely used by the rest of the world
975657
Most American countries use scales to measure an object's weight, or Earth's gravitational pull on it, while most European countries use balances to measure its mass- a measure of the amount of matter in the object. The reason for European countries to measure mass instead of weight is because mass is a more reliable way to measure things, because it doesn't change in relation to your position on Earth.
650136
Depends what measuring stick you use.  We (the US) have more major sports than anyone else and tend to spend a lot more money on them.
267272
The "metric" systems used long ago, or measurement systems used long ago?\n\nThe metric system was developed in France at the end of the 18th century (late 1700s).  They defined their units of measurement originally by physical objects.  Today, we are a bit more advanced with how we define the metric units, only one of them (the kg) is still defined as an actual object's.\n\nBut their were obviously lots more systems of measurement before the metric system.  I dont know too many of the more obscure systems, but their were units of distance such as the "hand" and the "cubit" (you'll see that one used the bible a few times), as well as "stones" for mass.
640207
The U.S. have been crapping on everyone ever since the Revolutionary War and any time the world does something the U.S. wants to be retarded and does something else. Why don't we us the metric system?, it is a lot easier than saying for example 7/8 of an inch. Metric, 5.7cm (easy). We should start movement, the U.S. should no longer cater to the drunk NFL fans and rightfully call "soccer", FOOTBALL.
27647
I like the current system.\n\nFurther more the reason is that it makes it harder for other countries to copy or stuff like nuclear reactors.\n\n\nEngland by the way still uses miles as a measure of distance.
1090826
I'm an engineer, I use both. European engineering companies work in metric, the US is imperial. I'm bilingual.\n\nJ
332876
Sure, why not?\n\nWhen someone will introduce the metric method of reckoning time, people will SLOWLY accept it (you know, old habits die hard)...\n\nComputations will be a lot easier by using the metric method...
762707
America's conversion to metric is the law:http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/Metric/pub814.cfm#act\n\nIt's just voluntary.\n\nHowever, all the units you listed are metric.  The prefixes you're confused about are metric prefixes.
902944
England....they predate the metric system, for example a "foot" is roughly the length of an adult male's foot.\nNot sure why we don't use the metric system.  There was a big push to switch when I was in elementary school, but it never happened.
15311
We do use metric in the sciences :)  However industry is a major source of the problem.  Many of our standards are defined in the American Engineering System.  Changing these is far more complicated...(it does drive me crazy working with all of these units).  However industry doesn't change because customers don't want to change.  Clients,customers know production rates in lb/hr, heat/energy requirements Btu/hr.  \n\nImagine trying to get the entire population to suddenly switch from gallons to liters of gas.  Ohhh scary...its so hard...the general population is lazy and just doesn't want to learn or change.  \n\nHowever take note...at least some things are in metric.  Your electric bill is in kWh.
1143393
The United States for sure,  I think also Liberia and Burma have not yet adopted the metric system.
904975
Because the real mass of atoms are too small or to complicated to be written in regular mass unit (like grams). It just standard constant to make the calculation and writing easier.\nIt's like using light year to measure distance in space instead of miles or kilometers.
350345
The object which is used as a standard for the kilogram is indeed kept in France.  But that is only the standard for comparison, anyone can use the unit of mass called the "kilogram."
105116
The English system of measurement grew out of the creative way that people measured for themselves.  Familiar objects and parts of the body were used as measuring devices.  For example, people measured shorter distances on the ground with their feet.\n\nWeight:\n\n16 ounces (oz) = 1 pound (lb)\n2000 lb = 1 ton\n\n \nCapacity:\n\n3 teaspoons (tsp) = 1 tablespoon (tbsp)\n 16 tbsp = 1 cup (c)\n8 ounces (oz) = 1 c\n2 c = 1 pint (pt)\n2 pt = 1 quart (qt)\n4 qt = 1 gallon (gal\n\n\nMetric system of weights and measures planned in France and adopted there in 1799; it has since been adopted by most of the technologically developed countries of the world. It is based on a unit of length, called the meter (m), and a unit of mass, called the kilogram (kg). It is easier to convert from one unit to another since it is in power of 10.\n\nEx.  10 cm = 1 dm, 10 dm = 1 m,  100 cm= 1 m\n\nMetric to English\nLength:\n\n1 mm = 0.04 in\n1 cm = 0.39 in\n 1 m = 39.37 in = 3.28 ft\n1 m = 1.09 yd\n1 km = 0.62 mi\n\nWeight:\n\n1 g = 0.035 oz\n1 l = 1.057 qt\n\n\nCapacity:\n\n1 ml = .2 tsp\n1 l = 1.057 qt\n\n\nEnglish to Metric \nLength:\n\n1 in = 2.54 cm\n1 ft = 30.48 cm = 0.305 m\n 1 yd = 0.914 m\n1 mi = 1.609 km\n\n\nWeight:\n\n1 oz = 28.350 g\n1 lb = 0.453 kg\n\n\nCapacity:\n\n1 tsp = 5 ml\n1 c = 236 ml\n1 qt = 0.946 l\n1 gal = 3.785 l\n\n\nLength:\n\n12 inches (in) = 1 foot (ft)\n3 feet  = 1 yard (yd)\n 5280 feet = 1 mile (mi)
49357
2000. The metric system is cool. We should use it in the U.S.
141959
There are several elements:\n- For historical reasons, the USA developed its own system of measurement. This is in fact NOT the imperial system of measurement, although it is based on the imperial system. It is correctly known is te USA system of measurement. The following reference discusses this in more detail.\n- The reasons for changing to metric are well known. However, there are huge costs to doing so. The population has to be reeducated which takes years and during this transistion period there are a lot of difficulties. Factories have to be retooled, machines replaced, and so on. The USA watched Canada switch over and many people felt the costs outweighed the benefits. I speak as a Canadian and as pro-metric, but I recognise the disruption to industry and to the life of older people who struggled with the change.\n- The USA also benefits from a huge internal market. Whereas most countries are largely dependent on foreign trade, the size of the USA market means that they are much less dependent on foreign trade so there is less pressure on them to change to metric to match up with their trading partners. This is less true of smaller countries.\n- There is also people's general resistance to change. The American population as a whole neither wants to nor sees a need to change to metric.\n- The political element is also important. Any senior politician who was strongly pro-metric (and looked like he could force the metric system through) would find this a major liability for his electoral chances.\n- There are also emotional connections to historical items\n\nThe list goes on. It is a complex issue and unlikely to be resolved soon. However, my personal belief is that one day the USA will follow the rest of the world and go metric.