Recalibration of the U.S. national prototype kilogram

Abstract

The U.S. national prototype kilogram, K20, and its check standard, K4, were recalibrated at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM). Both these kilograms are made of platinum-iridium alloy. Two additional kilograms, made of different alloys of stainless steel, were also included in the calibrations. The mass of K20 in 1889 was certified as being 1 kg-0.039 mg. Prior to the work reported below, K20 was most recently recalibrated at the BIPM in 1948 and certified as having a mass of 1 kg-0.019 mg. K4 had never been recalibrated. Its initial certification in 1889 stated its mass as 1 kg-0.075 mg. The work reported below establishes the new mass value of K20 as 1 kg-0.022 mg and that of K4 as 1 kg-0.106 mg. The new results are discussed in detail and an attempt is made to assess the long-term stability of the standards involved with a view toward assigning a realistic uncertainty to the measurements.