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Dear Jerry and Claus,
I can at least enumerate some examples of measures where the unit of measure is not composed of the same substance as what is being measured.
First, we can measure the temperature with the height of mercury. The mercury did not have the temperature but only has it transferred from the measured.
Second, in astronomy, we measure the distance with the yard stick that has the same substance of the so-called length. The dispersion of light replaces the yard stick.
Third, we measure the weight of a thing with a spring scale, which has no weight but only has the elasticity in responce to the weight of the measured.
Fourth, we can measure the blood pressure with an electronic measure that has no pressure in itself but only responses to the outside pressure.
Most astronomical measures and medical measures and electronical measures are the cases.
But I do not agree with Jerry on other points except the above one.
In solidarity,
Chai-on
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