ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

International System of Quantities

Have you ever heard of a system that helps make sense of how we measure things? That's called the International System of Quantities, and it makes measuring things easier for everyone in the whole world to understand!

Think about measuring how much water you drink every day. You could use different ways to measure, like cups or milliliters. But what if someone from a different country uses different measurements? For example, they might use something called a liter instead of a cup. That's where the International System of Quantities comes in!

Basically, this system helps people all over the world use the same measurements, so everyone can communicate better and understand each other more easily. It's like a special language but for numbers and units of measurement.

The system has seven base units, which means these are the starting points for measuring everything else. They include meters for length, kilograms for mass, seconds for time, amperes for electric current, kelvin for temperature, moles for amount of substance, and candela for luminous intensity.

Each base unit has a symbol and a definition that stays the same no matter where you are in the world. So if you tell someone you have a kilogram of feathers, they will know exactly how much that is no matter where they are!

There are also other units that we use for measuring things, but they're all based on the seven base units. These extra units are called "derived units" because we derive them from the base units.

Overall, the International System of Quantities helps us communicate more clearly and make sense of measurements even if we're from different parts of the world. So whether you're measuring a cup of flour, a kilogram of apples, or a liter of water, we all understand each other using the same system!