DC-83-07-2 -- The SI "Head" Problem

This paper describes the rationale for proposed elimination of the term "head" within the SI physical unit system. Reasons for continued use of a closely defined "head" term within the SI framework are discussed.

Introduction of the Internaional System of Units and Measurements (SI) may modify long-accepted design concepts and procedures used worldwide in many branches of engineering. Modificaiton can be caused by an SI semantics problem that has resulted in an edict that the therm "weight" should no longer be used for scientific or engineering calculations. Fluid mechanics is impacted because the term "head" has an energy per unit weight meaning.