"Cubic Litres"

That's the phrase used to describe the carrying capacity in the ad for the
new Saab estate on the back cover of the current Private Eye.

I know what they mean, but I just can't come up with a definitive argument
for or against the existence of such a thing as a 'cubic' litre, even though
I think its a nonsense phrase.

Is anyone able to come up with a valid argument, for or against, the use of
this phrase as, having nowt to do over here except sit back and philosophise
over a bottle or two of decent red, it's starting to take over my waking
existence....

Dave

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, WavyDavy amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

Well, it's like a cubic foot but bigger, innit.

 

If you were carrying 'loose yet slightly jelly like' red wine in said
boot in a zero gravity environment you would be able to fill every nook
and cranny thus making such a stat very usefull indeed.

 

But he'd have bust the weight limit by the time he'd got it loaded level
with the windows.

 

This is what gets me. A foot (or a metre, or a decimetre (is that the right
word for 10cms?)) is a unit of measurement used for length.

A 'cubic' unit of measurement is that unit taken to 3 dimensions

Thus 1 cubic foot is, in it's easiest to measure form, 1 foot x 1 foot x 1
foot.

But 1 litre is a unit of capacity (e.g. 10cm x 10cm x 10cm). So it is
already a 'cubic' unit of measurement.

If you already have a 3-dimesional object, how can you 'cube' it in the
sense the word is being applied?

Unless, of course, if when they state that the boot holds, say 1500 'cubic
litres' it actually holds 1500 x 1500 x 1500 litres, which would make it a
*fucking* big car.

Dave

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, platypus amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

LOL

 

That's the phrase used to describe the carrying capacity in the ad for

But wouldn't his head fill the remaining gap?
;-^


--



Robbo
Trophy 1200 1998
BotaFOF #19. E.O.S.M 2001/2002/2003/2004/2005
B.O.S.M 2003, 2004, 2005
FURSWB#1 KotL..YTC449
PM#7
..

 

But if its a zero gravity environment, surely there would be no weight, only
mass[1]?

Dave

[1] Its a long time since I was at school, but IIRC weight = mass x gravity

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, WavyDavy amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

No, it's a unit to describe volume.

No, it's a measurement to tell you what's inside something.

No, a cubic foot is the volume inside a cube that would be one foot
square.

No, a litre is 100x100

A three dimensional object cannot be cubed because it's already
dimensioned by 3. Think of it as more of a mirrored reflection of a two
dimensional object with one corner/side missing.

 

Decibel, shurely?

 

11-dimensional M theory? Of which Saab only use 9 for their car boot
measurements?

What the **** are you talking about?

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, TimP amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

I know, I'm an untapped talent, me.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, platypus amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

I don't know what you'd call it but it's sure a nice name for a girl

 

Necessary on a bicycle.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, platypus amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

*Ding*

 

A litre of [1mm thick card] is 100x100 [cm] ?

A litre in a bottle is a cylindrical litre, in a balloon it is a
spherical litre,
in a funnel it is a conical litre and in a box it is a cubic litre.

 

As someone said above, a litre is already a 'cubic' or volume
measurement. It's a cubic decimetre.

OK. What's the word that describes two words used together that mean
the same thing, making one of the words redundant?

I know there's a word for this, but it's gone clean out of my mind.
Bit like me, really.

 

Zero Gravity ~ weight?

You ~ mong?

 

I like the way you're thinking on that one...

You don't work in advertising/politics do you?

Dave

 

[Snipped Text]

Since when?

A foot is length

a foot squared is area

a foot cubed is volume

It's volume.

Yes. the other is a foot cubed.

No, a litre is fluid, and can take any shape. It's also a measurement of
volume.

Huh!