The Story of Weight: Pounds, Grams, and Mass

Weight measurement is crucial in nearly every aspect of life, from science and industry to our daily meals.

Mass vs. Weight: A Key Distinction

In science, these are different. Mass is the amount of matter in an object and is constant everywhere. Weight is the force of gravity on that mass and changes depending on your location (e.g., you'd weigh less on the Moon). While our converter deals with mass units (kg, lbs), in everyday use, these are commonly referred to as 'weight'.

The Roman Roots of 'lbs' and 'oz'

Ever wonder why a pound is abbreviated as 'lbs'? It comes from the Roman term 'libra pondo', meaning 'a pound by weight'. The 'libra' part gave us 'lbs'. The abbreviation 'oz' comes from the old Italian word 'onza'.