Pounds to grams

There are 453.59237 grams (g) in 1 pound (lb); the values of the pound referenced on this page are based on the avoirdupois pound. A pound is a unit of mass/weight in the US customary and imperial systems of measurement. A gram is also a unit of mass/weight, but it is part of the metric system of measurement. A related unit, the kilogram (kg), is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI).

Pound to gram converter

The following converter converts from grams to pounds or pounds to grams. Just enter a value in either grams or pounds to convert between the two.

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How many pounds in a gram

There are 0.00220462 pounds in 1 gram.

How many grams in a pound

There are 453.59237 grams in 1 pound.

How to convert pounds to grams

To convert from grams to pounds multiply or divide by the appropriate conversion factors shown below.

Pounds to grams formula

The formula for converting pounds to grams is:

Grams to pounds formula

The formula for converting grams to pounds is:

Below are some pounds to grams examples and grams to pounds examples.

What is a pound

A pound is a measurement of mass in both the US customary and imperial systems of measurement. It is sometimes referred to as a common ounce.

Types of pound

There are a few different pound definitions still in use today: the International Avoirdupois Pound and the troy pound.

Avoirdupois pound

The international Avoirdupois Pound, the current international standard, is defined as exactly 453.59237 grams. This is the most widely used version of the pound and it is mostly used in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Troy pound

The troy pound is a measurement of mass used in the United Kingdom. It is equal to 12 troy ounces and exactly equal to 373.2417216 grams. It is mostly used for measuring the weight of precious metals and gems such as opals, silver, platinum, and gold. It is particularly used within the trade by jewellers and apothecaries.

Pound history

The international Avoirdupois Pound was defined in 1959. The pound as a unit of measurement originated in Rome and was based on the Roman libra, which was based on the mass of a bronze bar. The abbreviation "lb" that is used for the pound is based on the libra. The libra was divided into 12 ounces, while the international pound is divided into 16 ounces. The avoirdupois system was developed in the 13th century, and the standardized international pound is based on this system. There were other definitions of the pound used throughout history, which is largely the reason for the eventual standardization of the pound in 1959.

Pound usage

The pound is mostly used in the United States and the United Kingdom. Most other countries around the world instead use SI units of mass, such as the gram, kilogram, and milligram. In the United States, pounds are commonly used to measure a person's weight. In most other countries, kilograms are used instead. Similarly, pounds are used to measure weight in the United Kingdom, along with the stone. For example, a person who weighs 55 kilograms would typically say that they weigh 121.254 pounds in the US and 8 stone and 9.254 lb in the United Kingdom.

What is a gram

A gram is a measurement of mass in the International System of Units (SI).

Gram definition

A gram is defined as 1/1000 of a kilogram. As a unit of measurement in the SI, the modern form of the metric system, it is defined in terms of the base unit of mass, which is the kilogram. The kilogram is defined precisely as the fixed numerical value of the Planck constant, 6.62607015 × 10^-34 when expressed in units of J·s, which is equal to kg·m²·s^-1.

History of the gram

The gram was originally defined in 1795 as the absolute weight of a cubic centimeter of pure water at the temperature of melting ice. This definition was later changed to be based on the temperature at which water has its maximum density, which is 4°C. The gram was also part of the centimeter-gram-second and meter-kilogram-second systems of measurement, two of the metric precursors to the International System of Units. When SI was adopted by international agreement in 1960, the gram was replaced by the kilogram as the metric base unit of weight. Since then, its definition has changed with that of the kilogram such that it is always 1/1000 of a kilogram.

Use of the gram

The gram is a relatively small unit of weight that is used throughout the world. It is commonly used for measuring food portions and ingredients, drug and medicine dosages, the weight of precious metals and gems, and for measurements in scientific experiments (chemicals etc.).

Pounds to grams conversion table

The table below shows various pounds to grams conversions.