In 1795 the kilogram was first used in English and was defined as the mass of one litre of water. This provided a simple definition but when used in practice it was difficult as trade and commerce often involved large items. Weighing a large object using large quantities of water was inconvenient and dangerous. As a result, an object made out of a single piece of metal was created equal to one kilogram. This platinum-iridium metal, called the International Prototype Kilogram, has been kept in Sèvres, France since 1889. The kilogram or kilogramme, (symbol: kg) is the SI base unit of mass. A gram is defined as one thousandth of a kilogram. Conversion of units describes equivalent units of mass in other systems. The avoirdupois pound (abbreviation: lb) is a unit of mass used in the US customary and imperial systems of measurement, and is descended from the Roman libra (hence the common abbreviation - lb). The international pound (lb) is defined as 0.45359237 kilograms (exactly). The international pound is divided into 16 ounces. The international

The pound (abbreviation: lb) is a unit of mass or weight in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. Its size can vary from system to system. The most commonly used pound today is the international avoirdupois pound. The international avoirdupois pound is equal to exactly 453.59237 grams. The definition of the international pound was agreed by the United States and countries of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1958. In the United Kingdom, the use of the international pound was implemented in the Weights and Measures Act 1963. An avoirdupois pound is equal to 16 avoirdupois ounces and to exactly 7,000 grains.The Babylonians invented the talent, as the basic unit of weight, and, based on their sexagesimal (60-based), divided into equal parts in terms of that number. This online conversion calculator will convert among different units of weight or mass. For more specific calculations use For the Arabs, a silver Dirhem was determined by 45 full grown barley grains. Ten Dirhems made a Wukryeh of 450 grains, which we call an ounce from the Latin "uncia" or twelfth, which name is used genetically for such a class of weight or volume.

To convert among any units in the left column, say from A to B, you can multiply by the factor for A to convert A into grams then divide by the factor for B to convert out of grams. Or, you can find the single factor you need by dividing the A factor by the B factor. Early Babylonian and Egyptian records, as well as the Bible, indicate that weight was originally measured by the capacities of containers such as gourds or clay or metal vessels. These were filled with plant seeds that were then counted to measure the volumes. With the development of scales as a means of weighing, seeds and stones served as standards. For instance, the "carat," still used as a mass unit for gems, is derived from the carob seed. The pound is a unit of mass (acceptable for use as weight on Earth) and is part of the imperial system of units. It has the symbol lb.The Greeks used the same weight measurement as the Babylonians, but the Romans changed it. Their basic unit of weight was the 'uncia,' from which the English word 'ounce' is originally derived. The uncia is a twelfth part of the 'pes,' which is the Roman 'foot —' our word inch is also derived from 'uncia.' The Romans used the same word for ounce, which they measured using a technique taken from the Arabs. Although there's no precise standard for doorknob heights, they're often about 1 meter above the floor.