The old standard weight was replaced because

M: Dr. Geller? This is Brown from The Times. May I ask you some questions about the new official standard weight that you purchased?
W: I’d be happy. What would you like to know?
M: First of all, how was the standard weight used?
W: The department of weights and measures, a government agency, uses it to check the scales all over the country. It’s our responsibility to see that all the scales measure a kilogram accurately.
M: How did you check the scales before?
W: We have an old standard weight. (1) It had to be replaced because it was imprecise. You see it was made of poor quality metal that was too porous. It absorbed too much moisture.
M: Oh. So when the weather was humid it weighed more and when it was dry it weighed less.
W: Exactly. And that (2) variation can affect the standards of the whole country. So our department had the new weight made out of higher quality metal.
M: How much did it cost?
W: About 50 ,000 dollars.
M: (3) 50,000 dollars? For one kilogram weight? That’s more expensive than gold. Is it worth that much?
W: It is. Industries depend on our government agency to monitor the accuracy of scales so that when they buy and sell their products there is one standard. Think of the drug industry, for example, those companies rely on high accuracy scales to manufacture and package medicine.