Measurement Table
Measurement Table
Measurement Table
Appendix C
In certain cases, particularly in scientific usage, it becomes convenient to provide for multiples larger than 1 000 and
for subdivisions smaller than one-thousandth. Accordingly, the following prefixes have been introduced and these are
now generally recognized:
Units of Length
C-1
General Tables of Units of Measurement
Units of Area
Units of Volume
Units of Mass
1
By action of the 12th General Conference on Weights and Measures (1964) the liter is a special name for the cubic
decimeter.
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
In these tables where foot or mile is underlined, it is survey foot or U.S. statute mile rather than international foot or mile
that is meant.
Units of Length
Units of Area3
Units of Volume3
2
This section lists units of measurement that have traditionally been used in the United States. In keeping with the
Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, the ultimate objective is to make the International System of Units
the primary measurement system used in the United States.
3
Squares and cubes of customary but not of metric units are sometimes expressed by the use of abbreviations rather than
symbols. For example, sq ft means square foot, and cu ft means cubic foot.
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
4
When necessary to distinguish the liquid pint or quart from the dry pint or quart, the word "liquid" or the abbreviation
"liq" should be used in combination with the name or abbreviation of the liquid unit.
5
When necessary to distinguish dry pint or quart from the liquid pint or quart, the word "dry" should be used in
combination with the name or abbreviation of the dry unit.
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
[The "grain" is the same in avoirdupois, troy, and apothecaries units of mass.
[The "grain" is the same in avoirdupois, troy, and apothecaries units of mass.
[The "grain" is the same in avoirdupois, troy, and apothecaries units of mass.
20 grains = 1 scruple (s ap or )
3 scruples = 1 dram apothecaries (dr ap or )
= 60 grains
8 drams apothecaries = 1 ounce apothecaries (oz ap or )
= 24 scruples = 480 grains
12 ounces apothecaries = 1 pound apothecaries (lb ap)
= 96 drams apothecaries
= 288 scruples = 5760 grains
6
When necessary to distinguish the avoirdupois dram from the apothecaries dram, or to distinguish the avoirdupois dram
or ounce from the fluid dram or ounce, or to distinguish the avoirdupois ounce or pound from the troy or apothecaries
ounce or pound, the word "avoirdupois" or the abbreviation "avdp" should be used in combination with the name or
abbreviation of the avoirdupois unit.
7
When the terms "hundredweight" and "ton" are used unmodified, they are commonly understood to mean the 100-
pound hundredweight and the 2000-pound ton, respectively; these units may be designated "net" or "short" when
necessary to distinguish them from the corresponding units in gross or long measure.
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
In Great Britain, the yard, the avoirdupois pound, the troy pound, and the apothecaries pound are identical with the units
of the same names used in the United States. The tables of British linear measure, troy mass, and apothecaries mass
are the same as the corresponding United States tables, except for the British spelling "drachm" in the table of
apothecaries mass. The table of British avoirdupois mass is the same as the United States table up to 1 pound; above
that point the table reads:
14 pounds = 1 stone
2 stones = 1 quarter = 28 pounds
4 quarters = 1 hundredweight = 112 pounds
20 hundredweight = 1 ton = 2240 pounds
The present British gallon and bushel--known as the "Imperial gallon" and "Imperial bushel"--are, respectively, about
20 percent and 3 percent larger than the United States gallon and bushel. The Imperial gallon is defined as the volume
of 10 avoirdupois pounds of water under specified conditions, and the Imperial bushel is defined as 8 Imperial gallons.
Also, the subdivision of the Imperial gallon as presented in the table of British apothecaries fluid measure differs in two
important respects from the corresponding United States subdivision, in that the Imperial gallon is divided into 160 fluid
ounces (whereas the United States gallon is divided into 128 fluid ounces), and a "fluid scruple" is included. The full
table of British measures of capacity (which are used alike for liquid and for dry commodities) is as follows:
4 gills = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
2 gallons = 1 peck
8 gallons (4 pecks) = 1 bushel
8 bushels = 1 quarter
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
1 inch = 1 0.083 333 33 0.027 777 78 0.000 015 782 83 2.54 0.025 4
1 centimeter = 0.393 700 8 0.032 808 40 0.010 936 13 0.000 006 213 712 1 0.01
1 meter = 39.370 08 3.280 840 1.093 613 0.000 621 371 2 100 1
1 foot = 1.515 152 1 0.060 606 06 0.015 151 52 0.000 189 393 9 0.304 800 6
1 meter = 4.970 960 3.280 833 0.198 838 4 0.049 709 60 0.000 621 369 9 1
8
One international foot = 0.999 998 survey foot (exactly)
One international mile = 0.999 998 survey mile (exactly)
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
1 square centimeter = 0.155 000 3 0.001 076 391 0.000 119 599 0
1 square inch = 0.000 000 000 249 097 7 6.451 6 0.000 645 16
1 square foot = 1 0.003 673 095 0.000 229 568 4 0.000 022 956 84
1 square meter = 10.763 87 0.039 536 70 0.002 471 044 0.000 247 104 4
9
One square survey foot = 1.000 004 square international feet
One square survey mile = 1.000 004 square international miles
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
1 square foot = 0.000 000 035 870 06 0.092 903 41 0.000 009 290 341
1 square rod = 0.000 009 765 625 25.292 95 0.002 529 295
Units of Volume
(all underlined figures are exact)
1 cubic centimeter = 0.061 023 74 0.000 035 314 67 0.000 001 307 951
1 cubic inch = 16.387 064 0.016 387 064 0.000 016 387 064
1 cubic foot = 28 316.846 592 28.316 846 592 0.028 316 846 592
1 cubic yard = 764 554.857 984 764.554 857 984 0.764 554 857 984
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
1 peck = 16 8 1 0.25
1 bushel = 64 32 4 1
1 cubic inch = 0.029 761 6 0.014 880 8 0.001 860 10 0.000 465 025
1 dry pint = 33.600 312 5 0.019 444 63 0.550 610 5 0.000 550 610 5
1 dry quart = 67.200 625 0.038 889 25 1.101 221 0.001 101 221
1 cubic inch = 1 0.000 578 703 7 0.016 387 06 0.000 016 387 06
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
1 gill = 1920 32 4 1
1 minim = 0.000 130 208 3 0.000 065 104 17 0.000 016 276 04 0.003 759 766
1 fluid dram = 0.007 812 5 0.003 906 25 0.000 976 562 5 0.225 585 94
1 gallon = 8 4 1 231
1 milliliter = 0.002 113 376 0.001 056 688 0.000 264 172 1 0.061 023 74
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
1 minim = 0.000 002 175 790 0.061 611 52 0.000 061 611 52
1 fluid dram = 0.000 130 547 4 3.696 691 0.003 696 691
1 avoirdupois ounce = 0.000 027 901 79 0.028 349 523 125 0.000 028 349 523 125
1 avoirdupois pound = 0.000 446 428 6 0.453 592 37 0.000 453 592 37
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
1 milligram = 0.015 432 36 0.000 771 617 9 0.000 643 014 9 0.000 564 383 4
1 grain = 0.016 666 67 0.002 285 714 0.002 083 333 0.000 173 611 1
1 apoth. scruple = 0.333 333 3 0.045 714 29 0.041 666 67 0.003 472 222
1 avdp. dram = 0.455 729 2 0.062 5 0.56 966 15 0.004 747 179
1 milligram = 0.000 257 206 0 0.000 035 273 96 0.000 032 150 75 0.000 002 679 229
1 gram = 0.257 206 0 0.035 273 96 0.032 150 75 0.002 679 229
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
1 grain = 0.000 142 857 1 64.798 91 0.064 798 91 0.000 064 798 91
1 apoth. scruple = 0.002 857 143 1295.978 2 1.295 978 2 0.001 295 978 2
1 pennyweight = 0.003 428 571 1555.173 84 1.555 173 84 0.001 555 173 84
1 avdp. dram = 0.003 906 25 1771.845 195 312 5 1.771 845 195 312 5 0.001 771 845 195 312 5
1 apoth. dram = 0.008 571 429 3887.934 6 3.887 934 6 0.003 887 934 6
1 avdp. ounce = 0.062 5 28 349.523 125 28.349 523 125 0.028 349 523 125
1 apoth. or troy 0.068 571 43 31 103.476 8 31.103 476 8 0.031 103 476 8
ounce =
1 apoth. or troy 0.822 857 1 373 241.721 6 373.241 721 6 0.373 241 721 6
pound =
5. TABLES OF EQUIVALENTS
In these tables it is necessary to differentiate between the "international foot" and the "survey foot" the survey foot is
underlined.
When the name of a unit is enclosed in brackets (thus, [1 hand] . . . ), this indicates (1) that the unit is not in general
current use in the United States, or (2) that the unit is believed to be based on "custom and usage" rather than on formal
authoritative definition.
Equivalents involving decimals are, in most instances, rounded off to the third decimal place except where they are
exact, in which cases these exact equivalents are so designated. The equivalents of the imprecise units "tablespoon"
and "teaspoon" are rounded to the nearest milliliter.
UNITS OF LENGTH
10
The angstrom is basically defined as 10-10 meter.
C-14
General Tables of Units of Measurement
(Gunter’s or surveyors)
20.116 8 meters.
6 feet (exactly).
1 fathom------------------------------- 1.828 8 meters.
[1 hand]------------------------------- 4 inches.
11
The term "statute mile" originated with Queen Elizabeth I who changed the definition of the mile from the Roman
mile of 5000 feet to the statute mile of 5280 feet. The international mile and the U.S. statute mile differ by about 3
millimeters although both are defined as being equal to 5280 feet. The international mile is based on the international
foot (0.3048 meter) whereas the U.S. statute mile is based on the survey foot (1200/3937 meter).
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
UNITS OF AREA
12
The international nautical mile of 1 852 meters (6 076.115 49...feet) was adopted effective July 1, 1954, for use in
the United States. The value formerly used in the United States was 6 080.20 feet = 1 nautical (geographical or sea)
mile.
13
The question is often asked as to the length of a side of an acre of ground. An acre is a unit of area containing 43 560
square feet. It is not necessarily square, or even rectangular. But, if it is square, then the length of a side is equal to
43560 ' 208.710% feet.
C-16
General Tables of Units of Measurement
14
There are a variety of "barrels" established by law or usage. For example, Federal taxes on fermented liquors are
based on a barrel of 31 gallons; many State laws fix the "barrel for liquids" as 31-1/2 gallons; one State fixes a 36-gallon
barrel for cistern measurement; Federal law recognizes a 40-gallon barrel for "proof spirits"; by custom, 42 gallons
comprise a barrel of crude oil or petroleum products for statistical purposes, and this equivalent is recognized "for
liquids" by four States.
15
Frequently recognized as 1-1/4 bushels, struck measure.
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
3 teaspoons (exactly).
1 tablespoon, measuring---------------- 15 milliliters.
4 fluid drams.
1/2 fluid ounce (exactly).
UNITS OF MASS
16
The equivalent "1 teaspoon = 1-1/3 fluid drams" has been found by the Bureau to correspond more closely with the
actual capacities of "measuring" and silver teaspoons than the equivalent "1 teaspoon = 1 fluid dram," which is given
by a number of dictionaries.
17
Used in assaying. The assay ton bears the same relation to the milligram that a ton of 2000 pounds avoirdupois bears
to the ounce troy; hence the mass in milligrams of precious metal obtained from one assay ton of ore gives directly the
number of troy ounces to the net ton.
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
18
The gross or long ton and hundredweight are used commercially in the United States to only a very limited extent,
usually in restricted industrial fields. The units are the same as the British "ton" and "hundredweight."
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General Tables of Units of Measurement
2204.623 pounds.
1 ton, metric (t)---------------------- 0.984 gross ton.
1.102 net tons.
19
The gross or long ton and hundredweight are used commercially in the United States to a limited extent only, usually
in restricted industrial fields. These units are the same as the British "ton" and "hundredweight."
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