What is a ton?
A ton is a unit of measurement commonly used to quantify weight or mass. There are three main types of tons: the metric ton (also known as the tonne), the imperial ton (also known as the long ton) and the American / English ton (also known as the short ton).
The metric ton, or tonne, is the standard unit of mass in the metric system and is used in most countries around the world. It is equal to 1,000 kilograms or approximately 2,204.62 pounds.
The imperial ton, or long ton, is used in the United Kingdom and some other countries and is equal to 2,240 pounds or 1,016.05 kilograms.
The American ton, or short ton, is used in the United States and some other countries and is equal to 2,000 pounds or 907.18475 kilograms.
What are pounds?
Pounds are an imperial unit of weight normally used in the United States but can be found in use in the United Kingdom and Ireland as well. One pound is equal to 0.4536 kilograms.
We provide several conversion calculators from pounds on this site including the most popular: pounds to kilograms.
Note that pounds are normally referring to avoirdupois pounds. This should not be confused with Troy pounds which is used almost exclusively to measure precious metals.