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Multiple conversions
To convert from Kilogram (kg) to Microgram (mcg), use the following formula:
To convert from Kilogram (kg) to Milligram (mg), use the following formula:
To convert from Kilogram (kg) to Gram (g), use the following formula:
To convert from Kilogram (kg) to Metric Tonne (mt), use the following formula:
To convert from Kilogram (kg) to Ounce (oz), use the following formula:
With is the ratio between the base units Pound (lb) and Gram (g).
Converting kilograms to pounds is a common task, especially when bridging the gap between metric and imperial (or customary) systems of measurement.
The key to this conversion is a specific number called the conversion factor.
To understand the conversion, it's helpful to know what these units represent:
To convert from kilograms (kg) to pounds (lb), you use the official conversion factor.
The formula is:
This means one kilogram is equal to approximately 2.2046 pounds.
For most everyday calculations, you can simply multiply your kilogram value by 2.2046 to find the equivalent weight in pounds.
To convert from Kilogram (kg) to Stone (st), use the following formula:
With is the ratio between the base units Pound (lb) and Gram (g).
To convert from Kilogram (kg) to Ton (t), use the following formula:
With is the ratio between the base units Pound (lb) and Gram (g).
A kilogram (kg) is the base unit of mass in the metric system, used worldwide to measure everything from your body weight to the groceries you buy.
It's equal to 1,000 grams (g).
For a simple real-world comparison, the mass of a one-liter bottle of water is almost exactly one kilogram.
Key Takeaways
For more than 130 years, the kilogram was a physical object: a platinum-iridium cylinder called the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK), also known as "Le Grand K," which was kept under tight security near Paris.
Scientists eventually found the problem — the artifact was losing an imperceptible amount of mass over time — so it couldn't guarantee the long-term accuracy required by science and industry.
On May 20, 2019, the kilogram was redefined.
It's no longer tied to a single object but to a fundamental constant of nature: the Planck constant (h). That change makes the kilogram stable and reproducible with precision anywhere in the universe.
The kilogram's story begins during the French Revolution with the creation of the metric system. The original definition, established in 1795, was beautifully simple and practical.
The gram was first defined as the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at 4 °C (39.2 °F), the temperature at which it is most dense.
From there, the kilogram was defined as the mass of one liter (one cubic decimeter) of water under the same conditions. This practical, water-based definition was a revolutionary step toward a global standard of measurement.
The International System of Units (SI) is built on seven base units that serve as the foundation for all measurements. These include the meter for length, the second for time, and the ampere for electric current.
The kilogram is a historical oddity, as it's the only SI base unit with a prefix ("kilo").
Due to its origins, the kilogram, rather than the gram, became the fundamental unit of mass, making it a curious exception in the measurement system.