Han wrote:
"J. Clarke" wrote in
:

While you make some interesting points, if you are going to whine
about the calorie being part of the metric system, please find an
official statement by anybody to the effect that it actually _is_
part of the metric system.

It's a trivially small measure of heat. That amount of heat
necessary to raise the temperature of 1 ml or 1 gram of water by 1
degree centigrade. Fudge with starting temperature and standard
pressure to get a bit more accurate.

When talking calories, I believe, the prefix kilo is often discarded,
hence the notion that the above 1 gram should be replaced by 1
kilogram. However, the 1 gram, 1 degree thing is the "official"
definition.

Yes, we all know what a calorie _is_. Are you next going to define the
British Thermal Unit in an effort to show that _it_ is part of the metric
system?

The fact that something is defined in metric units doesn't make it part of
the system.

Consider the definition of calorie that you gave above. Substitute "mineral
oil" or "mercury" or "grits" or "cat hair" for "water" and you get a
different unit, which you can give a name. Does that make each of those
units part of the metric system?