Generally, for the purposes of weighing, grams, pounds or kilograms are used as units of expression, but when extremely heavy objects are to be considered, their weight will have to be expressed as ton or metric ton.
Ton is the unit of measurement that is primarily used as a unit of weight. The word ton has been derived from the word tun, meaning barrels of the largest size. These barrels were able to contain 210 to 256 gallons and weigh around 2000 pounds. Thus, a ton is used to express or represent a unit of weight. In North America (United States and Canada) a ton is referred to as short ton is equivalent to 2000 pounds or 907.18474 kg whereas in Britain a ton is referred to as a long ton and is equivalent to 2240 pounds or 1016.05 kg.
The term ‘’ton’’ is also used to refer to a number of units of volume, ranging from 53 to 10 cubic feet (0.99 to 2.83m3 ) in capacity. It can also be used as a unit of energy or refrigeration as a unit of power, sometimes referred to as a ton of refrigeration.
On the other hand, a ‘tonne’ commonly referred to as metric ton is considered to be equivalent to 1000 kg or 2204.6 pounds. Metric ton can also be referred to as a Megagram, because it contains 1 million grams. It is not an S.I unit but officially, it is accepted to be used with the S.I units. A metric ton is greater than a short ton and less than the long ton.
What You Need To Know About Ton And Metric Ton
Ton
- Ton is an imperial unit of measurement that is primarily used as a unit of weight.
- In North America (United States and Canada) a ton is also referred to as short ton which is equivalent to 2000 pounds or 907.18474 kg.
- Ton as a unit of volume, may also refer to the cargo capacity of ships or to the freight itself.
Metric Ton
- The metric ton is used in almost all countries around the world. It is generally used informally to mean a large amount of something, material or object.
- It is not an S.I unit but officially it is accepted to be used with the S.I units.
- A metric ton is greater than a short ton and less than the long ton.
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Difference Between Ton And Metric Ton In Tabular Form
| BASIS OF COMPARISON | TON | METRIC TON |
| Description | Ton is a unit of measure that is equivalent to 2000 pounds or 907.18474 kg in the United Sates and equivalent to 2240 pounds or 1016.05 kg in Britain. | Metric ton is a metric unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms or approximately 2204.6 pounds. |
| Application | The expression ton is commonly used in United States and Britain. | The expression metric ton or tonne is commonly used in many countries around the word. |
| Expression | A metric ton is greater than a short ton and less than the long ton. | A metric ton is greater than a short ton and less than the long ton. |
| Usage | It is not an S.I unit but officially it is accepted to be used with the S.I units. | It is not an S.I unit but officially it is accepted to be used with the S.I units. |
Also Read: Difference Between Pound And Kilogramme
Conclusion
There is a possibility of some confusion between words ton and metric ton also referred to as tonne because both are primarily used as measurements of weight. Ton and tonne sound similar, thus it is best to use metric ton in place of tonne, to avoid the confusion. It is also important to note that, where precision is required, the correct term should be used, as the difference between the short and long tons is 11.3% and the short and metric tons is 9.7%. but for the metric and long tons precision may not be as necessary as they only differ by 1.6%.