Summary

Base units and defining constants

Quantity Unit Size (SI) Defined by (exact) Named after
Time blink 0.347222 s (25/72 s) 1 breath (10 blinks) = 25/6 SI seconds English: the blink of an eye
Length pace 1.452545 m c = 2 × 10^7 paces/blink Latin passus, a pace
Mass lib 1.771431 kg h = 2;13 × 10^-28 Latin libra, pound / scales
Temperature tep 0.694346 K k = 2;07 × 10^-1E, 0 °t = 289;485 ta (≈ freezing) Latin tepor, warmth
Current riv 12.2847 A e = 1 × 10^-16 onus Latin rivus, stream
Amount grex 6.17235 × 10^23 (dec) things 1 grex = 1;15 × 10^1X things Latin grex, flock
Light lam 0.980246 cd K_cd = 3 × 10^4 lam·sr/vg at 19,042,90X,764,540 per blink Latin lampas, lamp

Exact SI values

Every unit converts to SI exactly. The definitions use Paludal's fixed constants, which give short round numbers; written as SI fractions most of them would be long:

Unit Defined by Exact SI value Decimal (dec)
blink 1 breath = 25/6 s 25/72 s 0.347 222 222 s
pace c = 2 × 10^7 p/bl 3,747,405,725 / 2,579,890,176 m 1.452 544 670 m
lib h = 2;13 × 10^-28 a fraction of 96 digits 1.771 431 179 kg
tep k = 2;07 × 10^-1E a fraction of 36 digits 0.694 345 838 K
0 °t 0 °t = 289;485 ta 289;485 tep above absolute zero 273.149 946 686 K
onus e = 1 × 10^-16 1.602176634 × 10^-19 × 12^18 C (dec) 4.265 528 250 C
riv onus per blink a fraction of 44 digits 12.284 721 361 A
grex 1;15 × 10^1X things a fraction of 38 digits 1.024 943 427 mol

Derived and everyday units

Quantity Unit Size (SI) Named after
Beat beat 1.04167 s (3 blinks, 25/24 s) English: a heartbeat
Clock unit breath 4.16667 s (10 blinks = 4 beats) English: one breath
Dozenal hour chime 2 hours exactly (1,000 breaths, 0;1 day) English: clocks chime on the hour
Dozenal minute moment 50 s exactly (0;01 chime, 10 breaths) English moment, from Latin momentum
1/10 pace unc 12.1 cm Latin uncia, a twelfth
1/100 pace dig 1.01 cm Latin digitus, finger
0;2 pace span 24.2 cm English span, a hand's spread
0;4 pace ulna 48.4 cm Latin ulna, forearm
0;6 pace gress 72.6 cm Latin gressus, a step
1,000 paces iter 2.51 km Latin iter, road, journey
930 paces (sea, air) navis 1.935 km Latin navis, ship
Area (1,000 p²) ager 3,646 m² Latin ager, field
Volume (unc³) cub 1.7736 L Latin cubus, cube
Force vis ≈ 21.3 N Latin vis, force
Energy opus ≈ 31.0 J Latin opus, work
Power vig ≈ 89.3 W Latin vigor, liveliness
Pressure pres ≈ 10.1 Pa Latin pressus, pressed
Charge onus ≈ 4.266 C Latin onus, load
Voltage imp ≈ 7.268 V Latin impetus, push

How the units connect

Each fixed constant defines one base unit; the derived units are built from the base units.

flowchart LR
  subgraph K [Fixed constants]
    cs(["SI second: breath = 25/6 s"])
    c(["c = 2 × 10^7 p/bl"])
    h(["h = 2;13 × 10^-28"])
    e(["e = 1 × 10^-16 os"])
    k(["k = 2;07 × 10^-1E op/°t"])
    n(["1;15 × 10^1X things"])
    kcd(["K_cd = 3 × 10^4 la·sr/vg"])
  end
  cs --> bl["blink: time"]
  c --> p["pace: length"]
  h --> li["lib: mass"]
  e --> os("onus: charge")
  k --> te["tep: temperature"]
  n --> gx["grex: amount"]
  kcd --> la["lam: light"]
  bl --> p
  bl & p --> li
  li & p & bl --> vi("vis = li·p/bl²: force")
  vi --> op("opus = vi·p: energy")
  op --> vg("vig = op/bl: power")
  vi --> pr("pres = vi/p²: pressure")
  os & bl --> ri["riv = os/bl: current"]
  op & os --> im("imp = op/os: voltage")
  op --> te
  vg --> la

Rules of thumb

  • A cub of water weighs a lib (0.9994 at 20 °C). A dig-cube of water ≈ 1/1,000 lib ≈ 1 g.
  • Time of day = three digits of moments since midnight, like 24-hour time: 000 midnight, 300 dawn, 600 noon, 900 dusk.
  • A moment (50 s) is about a minute; a beat (1.04 s) is about a second.
  • 100 km/h ≈ 68 paces/breath; motorway limit 70 (105 km/h).
  • Water freezes at 0 tep, boils at ≈ 100 tep. Body ≈ 45;3 tep.
  • 240 V mains ≈ 29 imp, 230 V ≈ 27;8, 120 V ≈ 14;6, a 12 V car ≈ 1;8. A kettle draws ≈ 0;X riv.
  • A 6 ft person ≈ 1¼ paces. 1 inch ≈ 2;6 digs.