What is Centimetre–gram–second system of units?
The '''centimetre-gram-second system''' (abbreviated '''CGS''' or '''cgs''') is a variant of the [[metric system]]. The [[derived units]] are on the [[centimeter]] as the unit of [[length]], the [[gram]] as a unit of [[mass]] and the [[second]] as a unit of [[time]]. The system evolved in the nineteenth century when it was used to define both [[electrical]] and [[mechanics|mechanical]] units. The cgs units of energy and force are the ''[[dyne]]'' and the ''[[erg]]''. * The ''dyne'' is defined as the [[force]] needed to [[accelerate]] a [[mass]] of one gram by one centimetre per second squared (cm s<sup>-2</sup>). * The ''erg'' is defined as the [[energy|work done]] when a mass of one gram is moved a distance of one centimetre against a force of one dyne. The coherent cgs unit of pressure was the ''[[barye]]'' (symbol Ba). A ''bayre'' is one dyne per square centimeter. Many non-coherent units of pressure were used in the cgs system. They include: *The ''atmosphere'' (atm). A standard atmosphere is 1.01325×10<sup>6</sup> Ba. *''Millimetres of mercury'' (mmHg). One millimeter of mercury is 133.32 Ba. The dyne and the erg were used to define the units for electrical quantities. Two different forms of cgs units were developed. One form was developed for [[electrostatic]] units and another for [[electromagnetic]] units. Electrical engineering units were based on the MKS (metre-kilogram-second) system instead of the CGS system. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries many other units were defined using cgs units. In 1960 the [[BIPM]] published the [[International System of Units]] (SI) which was based on the metre, the kilogram, the second and the [[ampere]]. SI has now replaced the CGS system of units in most applications. [[Category:Units of measurement]] {{tech-stub}}