6 Weird Units of Measurement We're Still Using for Some Reason

The video explores unconventional units of measurement, starting with the Smoot, a humorous unit derived from an MIT student's fraternity pledge. It delves into historical units like furlongs and hands, and explains how shoe sizes are based on the barleycorn. The concept of micromorts is introduced to assess risk, while the jiffy is discussed as a unit of time with varying definitions. The banana equivalent dose (BED) is used to measure radiation exposure, and the barn is explained as a unit in nuclear physics. These units, though strange, help in understanding various scientific and everyday phenomena.

What unusual unit did Oliver Smoot use to measure a bridge?

• A smoot

• A barleycorn

• A hand

• A furlong

What is the significance of the unit 'smoot'?

• It was used to measure a bridge by Oliver Smoot

• It is used to measure the risk of death

• It is used to measure radiation exposure

• It is an official unit of measurement

What was the original purpose of the furlong as a unit?

• To measure the distance light travels in a vacuum

• To measure the size of a shoe

• To measure the length of land an ox could plow

• To measure the height of horses

How is the unit 'hand' used today?

• To measure the risk of an activity

• To measure the size of a shoe

• To measure the length of a marathon

• To measure the height of horses

In the context of shoe sizes, what is a barleycorn?

• A type of shoe

• A type of grain

• A unit of length

• A unit of weight

What is the approximate length of a barleycorn?

• 1 centimeter

• 1 foot

• 1/3 of an inch

• 1 inch

What does a micromort measure?

• The amount of radiation in a banana

• The size of a shoe

• The length of a marathon

• The risk of death from an activity

Which unit is used to compare radiation exposure to eating a banana?

• Banana Equivalent Dose (BED)

• Barn

• Jiffy

• Micromort

What is a jiffy commonly used to measure in physics?

• The time it takes light to travel a centimeter in a vacuum

• The length of a horse's stride

• The size of a uranium atom

• The risk of skydiving

What is the origin of the unit 'barn'?

• It was used to measure the cross-sectional area of a uranium nucleus

• It was used to measure the length of a furlong

• It was used to measure the time of a jiffy

• It was used to measure the size of a shoe