Convert Smoot to Fathom
Simple, fast and user-friendly online tool to convert Smoot to Fathom ( smoot to ftm ) vice-versa and other Length related units. Learn and share how to convert Smoot to Fathom ( smoot to ftm ). Click to expand short unit definition.
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| Smoot (smoot) | = | Fathom (ftm) |
What is Smoot ?
A Smoot is an unconventional unit of length that originated as a humorous measurement at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was named after Oliver R. Smoot, who was used as a measuring tool in 1958 by his fraternity brothers to measure the length of the Harvard Bridge.
Oliver Smoot was chosen because he was 5 feet 7 inches tall, and the length of the bridge was measured to be exactly 364.4 Smoots plus one ear (which is the width of his head). This measurement has since become a whimsical part of MIT's culture and is occasionally used to measure other objects or distances in a humorous manner.
In simpler terms, a Smoot represents a length of 5 feet 7 inches, based on the height of Oliver Smoot. While not an official unit of measurement, it highlights the creativity and humor often found in academic and scientific communities. The story of the Smoot is a reminder that even in serious fields like engineering, there's room for a bit of fun and creativity.
What is Fathom ?
A Fathom is a unit of length used primarily in nautical and maritime contexts to measure the depth of water. It is defined as 6 feet or 1.8288 meters. The word "fathom" originates from Old English and means "to embrace" or "to encompass," reflecting its use in early navigation and fishing.
In practical terms, a fathom is roughly the span of an outstretched adult's arms from fingertip to fingertip. Sailors and fishermen traditionally used a weighted line marked at intervals of one fathom to measure water depth, ensuring safe passage for ships and navigation in shallow waters.
Today, while other units such as meters or feet are more commonly used for precise measurements, the fathom remains relevant in maritime industries for depth sounding and underwater activities. It's also occasionally used metaphorically to describe understanding or exploring something deeply, harkening back to its historical maritime roots.
List of Length conversion units
Kilometer Meter Millimeter Decimeter Centimeter Inch Foot Yard Mile Micron Nanometer Picometer Femtometer Attometer Zeptometer Yoctometer Dekameter Hectometer Megameter Gigameter Terameter Petameter Exameter Zettameter Yottameter Mil Nautical mile Li Half marathon Marathon Parsec Milliparsec Nanoparsec Picoparsec Kiloparsec Megaparsec Gigaparsec Teraparsec Astronomical unit Light year League Chain Furlong Megafurlong Rod Fathom Smoot Cubit Beard second Angstrom
A Smoot is an unconventional unit of length that originated as a humorous measurement at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was named after Oliver R. Smoot, who was used as a measuring tool in 1958 by his fraternity brothers to measure the length of the Harvard Bridge.
Oliver Smoot was chosen because he was 5 feet 7 inches tall, and the length of the bridge was measured to be exactly 364.4 Smoots plus one ear (which is the width of his head). This measurement has since become a whimsical part of MIT's culture and is occasionally used to measure other objects or distances in a humorous manner.
In simpler terms, a Smoot represents a length of 5 feet 7 inches, based on the height of Oliver Smoot. While not an official unit of measurement, it highlights the creativity and humor often found in academic and scientific communities. The story of the Smoot is a reminder that even in serious fields like engineering, there's room for a bit of fun and creativity.
What is Fathom ?
A Fathom is a unit of length used primarily in nautical and maritime contexts to measure the depth of water. It is defined as 6 feet or 1.8288 meters. The word "fathom" originates from Old English and means "to embrace" or "to encompass," reflecting its use in early navigation and fishing.
In practical terms, a fathom is roughly the span of an outstretched adult's arms from fingertip to fingertip. Sailors and fishermen traditionally used a weighted line marked at intervals of one fathom to measure water depth, ensuring safe passage for ships and navigation in shallow waters.
Today, while other units such as meters or feet are more commonly used for precise measurements, the fathom remains relevant in maritime industries for depth sounding and underwater activities. It's also occasionally used metaphorically to describe understanding or exploring something deeply, harkening back to its historical maritime roots.
List of Length conversion units
Kilometer Meter Millimeter Decimeter Centimeter Inch Foot Yard Mile Micron Nanometer Picometer Femtometer Attometer Zeptometer Yoctometer Dekameter Hectometer Megameter Gigameter Terameter Petameter Exameter Zettameter Yottameter Mil Nautical mile Li Half marathon Marathon Parsec Milliparsec Nanoparsec Picoparsec Kiloparsec Megaparsec Gigaparsec Teraparsec Astronomical unit Light year League Chain Furlong Megafurlong Rod Fathom Smoot Cubit Beard second Angstrom