Heard on the Today programme just now

[swansonj]

Roger Harrabin, discussing flooding: "here's a statistic I've only just heard: for every millimetre of rain that falls, that's an extra litre of water on each square metre of ground."

Makes you proud of our science education system, doesn't it.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I don't know, does it?

 

[andytheflyer]

The metric system is easy, try doing it with American units for rainfall - like feet/acre/day, and having to convert into tonnes.....

 

[Globalti]

That makes 1000 cc so it's right, isn't it?

 

[Brandane]

1 cubic metre of fresh water = 1 tonne.
Therefore 1 millilitre = 1 gramme.
Handy to know when adding water to your breadmaker while it's on the scales and saves using a measuring jug!

 

[Yellow Fang]

1m x 1m x 0.001m = 0.001 cubic metres = 1 litre

 

[Bodhbh]

I was gonna say, that's right as I make it.

 

[tyred]

The metric system is easy, try doing it with American units for rainfall - like feet/acre/day, and having to convert into tonnes.....

But it's more fun.

 

[PpPete]

Worries me that it should be described as a statistic (and therefore worse than a damned lie)

 

[green1]

The metric system is easy, try doing it with American units for rainfall - like feet/acre/day, and having to convert into tonnes.....

Strictly speaking they are Imperial units, been around a lot longer than America or ghastly metric for that matter. I work in an industry that's a mishmash of imperial and metric, it's great fun.

 

[Over The Hill]

Strictly speaking they are Imperial units, been around a lot longer than America or ghastly metric for that matter. I work in an industry that's a mishmash of imperial and metric, it's great fun.

This is the big problem and drives me mad!

I went in a shop to buy some curtain fabric. They had some end of roll bits, the shop assistant said the piece I wanted was 2 metres by 54 inches!

I distinctly remember metric coming in and being taught in the first year of my secondary school. That was in 1971 - 43 years ago! Surely we have got the hang of metric by now.

Re the original post - The standard units of measurement used by the press are-
Length or height - Double decker buses
Smaller areas - Football pitches
Larger areas - Wales.

So how many football pitches of rain would it take to fill a double decker bus?

 

[Cuchilo]

It only tales one puddle to get a wet foot .

 

[nickyboy]

This is the big problem and drives me mad!

I went in a shop to buy some curtain fabric. They had some end of roll bits, the shop assistant said the piece I wanted was 2 metres by 54 inches!

I distinctly remember metric coming in and being taught in the first year of my secondary school. That was in 1971 - 43 years ago! Surely we have got the hang of metric by now.

Re the original post - The standard units of measurement used by the press are-
Length or height - Double decker buses
Smaller areas - Football pitches
Larger areas - Wales.

So how many football pitches of rain would it take to fill a double decker bus?

Volume of Double Decker = 11.31 x 2.50 x 4.18 = 118.19m3

Area of football pitch (typical premiership) = 7,200m2

1mm rainfall on one football pitch = 7,200 x 0.001 = 7.2m3

So it would take 118.19/7.2 = 16.4 football pitches to fill the double decker bus

Of course if you start to fill the bus with people it would take less water

 

[swee'pea99]

Volume of Double Decker = 11.31 x 2.50 x 4.18 = 118.19m3

Area of football pitch (typical premiership) = 7,200m2

1mm rainfall on one football pitch = 7,200 x 0.001 = 7.2m3

So it would take 118.19/7.2 = 16.4 football pitches to fill the double decker bus

Of course if you start to fill the bus with people it would take less water

And the people would all drown, but hey, that's science for you.

 

[Cubist]

This is the big problem and drives me mad!

I went in a shop to buy some curtain fabric. They had some end of roll bits, the shop assistant said the piece I wanted was 2 metres by 54 inches!

I distinctly remember metric coming in and being taught in the first year of my secondary school. That was in 1971 - 43 years ago! Surely we have got the hang of metric by now.

Re the original post - The standard units of measurement used by the press are-
Length or height - Double decker buses
Smaller areas - Football pitches
Larger areas - Wales.

So how many football pitches of rain would it take to fill a double decker bus?

How many football pitches in Wales, and why would they bother, unless it was to store buses?