Weight and Mass Converter

About Weight and Mass

Force of gravity on mass is weight, and mass is the quantity of matter in an object. In slang terms, they can be referred to interchangeably. This converter can handle either.

• kg, g, mg, µg – international and metric units used worldwide in trade and science.
• lb, oz, st, ton (US/UK) – Engineering, commerce, and common Imperial and US customary units.
• gr, dr – Old and special units were still in use in ammunition and pharmacy.
• ct – Carat, unit of jewelry and gems (1 ct = 200 mg).
• u – Atomic mass unit, atomic and molecular use in physics and chemistry.
• slug – US engineering mass unit in force calculations (F = ma).
• Planck mass – Theoretical physics unit used in models of quantum gravity.

Weight and Mass

Weight and mass are physical attributes that are intrinsic in defining the amount of matter contained within an object. Though mass remains unchanged regardless of location, weight is dependent on gravitational pull. Different systems worldwide use various units to measure these values, from metric, imperial, and scientific contexts.

Metric Units

• Kilogram (kg): The base unit of mass in the SI system. It is employed worldwide in scientific and day-to-day use.
• Gram (g): A thousandth of a kilogram, employed for weighing light objects like food items and drugs.
• Milligram (mg) and Microgram (µg): Even smaller units used in medicine, pharmacy, and science for very light substances.
• Tonne (t) and Megagram (Mg): Larger quantities of mass, both equal to 1,000 kilograms, with "megagram" often used in scientific contexts.

Imperial and US Customary Units

• Pound (lb): A standard unit of weight in the US and UK, used for measuring body weight, food, and goods.
• Ounce (oz): 1/16 of a pound, commonly used in cooking, shipping, and nutrition.
• Stone (st): A British unit equal to 14 pounds, still used for body weight in the UK.
• Short ton (US) and Long ton (UK): Heavier mass units, with the short ton equal to 2,000 pounds and the long ton equal to 2,240 pounds.

Specialized and Historical Units

• Dram (dr) and Grain (gr): Historic mass units, where the dram may still appear in pharmacies and the grain originated from the weight of a grain of wheat.
• Carat (ct): Used for measuring gemstones, where 1 carat equals 200 milligrams.
• Atomic mass unit (u): Applied in atomic and molecular physics, approximately 1.66 × 10⁻²⁷ kilograms.
• Slug: A US engineering unit used to calculate force and acceleration in physics.
• Planck mass (mₚ): A theoretical mass unit from fundamental physical constants, important in cosmology and quantum mechanics.

Conclusion

Science, business, industry, and life all rely on understanding and converting between numerous different weight and mass units. Whether weighing groceries in grams or calculating mass in slugs for physics, every unit plays a vital role in accurate measurement.