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oa Platinum and the Standard of Light
A Selective Review of Proposals Which Led to an International Unit of Luminous Intensity
- Source: Platinum Metals Review, Volume 30, Issue 2, Apr 1986, p. 84 - 95
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- 01 Jan 1986
Abstract
The properties of platinum make it very suitable for many exacting applications where absolute consistency must be maintained in fluctuating conditions over long periods of time. One of the earliest uses of platinum and its alloys was for the manufacture of standard weights and measures, while the platinum resistance thermometer is still used to fix a wide range of temperatures on the International Practical Temperature Scale. Additionally, for a long period platinum contributed to the definition of the candela, the international unit of luminous intensity. This article gives a brief account of some of the pioneering work carried out by people seeking to establish a primary standard of light by utilising the unique properties of platinum.
© Johnson Matthey