Pound to Ounce Converter

How many ounces are in a pound?

There are exactly 16 ounces in 1 avoirdupois pound. This relationship is fundamental to the US customary weight system and has remained constant since the avoirdupois system was standardized in 13th-century England.

The 16-ounce division allows convenient fractional measurements: 1/2 pound = 8 oz, 1/4 pound = 4 oz (quarter-pounder burger), 1/8 pound = 2 oz. Food packaging commonly uses both: "1 lb (16 oz)" or "12 oz (3/4 lb)."

Converting pounds to ounces: Multiply pounds by 16

• 1 lb = 16 oz
• 2.5 lbs = 40 oz
• 0.75 lbs = 12 oz (three-quarters of a pound)

Converting ounces to pounds: Divide ounces by 16

• 32 oz = 2 lbs
• 24 oz = 1.5 lbs
• 10 oz = 0.625 lbs

Mixed notation: "5 lbs 10 oz" means 5 pounds + 10 ounces = (5 × 16) + 10 = 90 ounces total.

Important distinction: Fluid ounces (volume) and ounces (weight) are different measurements. "16 fluid ounces" of water weighs approximately 16 ounces, but 16 fluid ounces of honey weighs about 24 ounces. The context determines which "ounce" is meant.

How do I convert pounds to kilograms?

To convert pounds to kilograms, multiply by 0.45359237. This is the exact conversion factor established by the 1959 international agreement.

Formula: kilograms = pounds × 0.45359237

Examples:

• 1 lb = 0.454 kg
• 10 lbs = 4.536 kg
• 50 lbs = 22.680 kg
• 100 lbs = 45.359 kg
• 150 lbs = 68.039 kg
• 200 lbs = 90.718 kg

Quick approximation: For mental math, divide pounds by 2.2 (or multiply by 0.45):

• 100 lbs ÷ 2.2 ≈ 45.5 kg (actual: 45.36 kg)
• 150 lbs ÷ 2.2 ≈ 68.2 kg (actual: 68.04 kg)

Reverse conversion (kg to lbs): Multiply kilograms by 2.20462

• 10 kg = 22.046 lbs
• 50 kg = 110.231 lbs
• 75 kg = 165.347 lbs

For professional contexts (medical dosing, commercial trade, engineering), always use the exact conversion factor. For casual estimates ("How heavy is that in kilograms?"), dividing by 2.2 provides close enough results.

What measurement system uses pounds?

The pound (lb) is a key unit in the imperial and US customary measurement systems. While the UK officially adopted the metric system in 1965, pounds remain common for body weight, and road signs still show distances in miles. The United States uses pounds extensively across all aspects of daily life.

Where pounds are standard:

• United States: Primary weight unit for commerce, body weight, cooking, shipping
• United Kingdom: Still common for body weight (though officially metric)
• Canada: Used alongside metric, especially for body weight and produce
• Caribbean nations: Many former British colonies maintain some imperial usage

Where kilograms dominate:

• European Union countries (mandatory metric since 1960s-1990s)
• Asia (Japan, China, Korea, etc.)
• Australia and New Zealand (converted to metric 1970s)
• Latin America
• Africa (except Liberia)

Hybrid usage: Many countries officially metric still use pounds informally. UK residents often describe body weight in stones and pounds despite official metric policy. Canada labels food in both grams and ounces.

Where is the pound commonly used?

The pound is primarily used in the United States for everyday measurements. Americans use pounds for:

Personal:

• Body weight (bathroom scales, medical records)
• Baby weight ("7 pounds, 6 ounces")
• Pet weight (vet visits, food portions)
• Luggage weight (airline limits)

Commerce:

• Grocery pricing ($3.99/lb for meat, produce)
• Postal shipping (USPS rates by pound)
• Food packaging (5-lb bag of flour)
• Restaurant portions (8-oz steak, quarter-pound burger)

Industrial:

• Construction materials (80-lb bag of concrete)
• Agricultural commodities (livestock sold per pound)
• Manufacturing specifications (product weights)
• Freight shipping (charges per 100 lbs)

The United Kingdom and Canada also use pounds commonly, though officially metric. UK residents often state body weight in stones and pounds. Canadian grocery stores show prices in both $/lb and $/kg.

In aviation, pounds of thrust measure jet engine power worldwide, and pounds of fuel calculate aircraft loading, even in metric countries—similar to altitude measured in feet globally.

Why do we use "lb" for pound?

The symbol "lb" comes from the Latin word libra, meaning balance or scales, which was the Roman unit of weight. The word "pound" itself derives from Latin pondus (weight), while the abbreviation preserved the Roman unit name.

Historical explanation:

• Roman libra ≈ 329 grams (about 0.7 modern pounds)
• Medieval scholars used "lb" as the standard abbreviation
• When the avoirdupois pound (16 oz, 454g) became England's commercial standard, it retained the Roman abbreviation despite the different weight value

Modern usage:

• "lb" serves both singular and plural (1 lb, 5 lb, not "5 lbs" technically, though "lbs" is common)
• Pronounced "pound" or "pounds" despite the letters "l-b"
• Used internationally in trade: "100 lb net weight"

Related terms:

• PSI = Pounds per Square Inch (pressure)
• lb-ft = pound-feet (torque)
• lb-test = fishing line strength (pounds of force before breaking)

The disconnect between spelling (lb) and pronunciation (pound) confuses English learners, but it's deeply embedded in language. No serious proposals exist to change it—tradition preserves the Roman abbreviation despite its non-phonetic representation.

What's the difference between mass and weight in pounds?

In scientific terms, mass measures the amount of matter in an object (kilogram or pound-mass), while weight measures the gravitational force on that mass (Newton or pound-force). However, in everyday American usage, "pound" refers to both interchangeably without distinction.

Scientific definitions:

• Mass (lbm): Amount of matter, constant regardless of location
• Weight (lbf): Force due to gravity = mass × acceleration

On Earth's surface, an object with 1 pound-mass (lbm) experiences 1 pound-force (lbf) of weight. On the Moon (1/6 Earth's gravity), that 1 lbm object would weigh only 0.167 lbf—but bathroom scales there would still show "1 lb" because they're calibrated for Earth gravity.

Everyday reality: When Americans say "I weigh 150 pounds," they technically mean "I have a mass that creates 150 pounds-force on Earth." Scales measure force (weight) but display mass units (pounds) assuming Earth gravity.

Engineering context: Engineers distinguish lbm (pound-mass) from lbf (pound-force) in calculations involving acceleration, thrust, or different gravitational environments. Aerospace applications carefully track both since spacecraft experience varying gravitational forces.

Practical impact: For everyday purposes—buying meat, weighing luggage, measuring body weight—the distinction doesn't matter. All occur at Earth's surface where 1 lbm = 1 lbf. Only in scientific, aerospace, or physics contexts does the mass vs. weight distinction require precision.

How much is a stone in pounds?

One stone equals exactly 14 pounds. The stone is a British imperial unit of weight still commonly used in the UK and Ireland for human body weight, though officially replaced by kilograms in most contexts.

Common conversions:

• 1 stone = 14 lbs = 6.35 kg
• 10 stone = 140 lbs = 63.5 kg
• 12 stone = 168 lbs = 76.2 kg
• 15 stone = 210 lbs = 95.3 kg

UK usage: British people typically express body weight in stones and pounds together:

• "I weigh 11 stone 8" = 11 stone + 8 lbs = 154 + 8 = 162 lbs total
• "I've lost half a stone" = lost 7 lbs
• "I need to lose 2 stone" = need to lose 28 lbs

Historical context: The stone was standardized in 1835 at 14 pounds for weighing people. Different stone weights existed historically for various commodities: wool stone (14 lbs), meat stone (8 lbs), cheese stone (16 lbs). The 14-pound definition survived for body weight.

Modern decline: Official UK government documents and medical records now use kilograms following metrication. However, bathroom scales in UK homes often still display stones and pounds, and older generations particularly think in stones when discussing weight.

US usage: Americans rarely use stones. When British media mentions someone weighing "12 stone," American audiences need conversion to understand this means 168 lbs.

Can you mix pounds and ounces in calculations?

Yes, but you must handle them carefully to avoid errors. Pounds and ounces can be added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided, but excess ounces must convert to pounds (since 16 oz = 1 lb).

Addition/Subtraction: Add or subtract pounds and ounces separately, then convert excess ounces:

• 5 lbs 10 oz + 3 lbs 8 oz = 8 lbs 18 oz = 9 lbs 2 oz (convert 18 oz = 1 lb 2 oz)
• 7 lbs 4 oz − 2 lbs 10 oz: borrow 1 lb = 16 oz, so 7 lbs 4 oz = 6 lbs 20 oz, then 6 lbs 20 oz − 2 lbs 10 oz = 4 lbs 10 oz

Multiplication/Division: Convert entirely to ounces or decimal pounds:

• Double 3 lbs 6 oz: Convert to 54 oz, double = 108 oz = 6 lbs 12 oz
• Half of 5 lbs 10 oz: Convert to 90 oz, half = 45 oz = 2 lbs 13 oz
• Or use decimal: 5 lbs 10 oz = 5.625 lbs, half = 2.8125 lbs = 2 lbs 13 oz

Decimal conversion:

• Pounds to decimal: 5 lbs 10 oz = 5 + (10÷16) = 5.625 lbs
• Decimal to pounds-ounces: 3.75 lbs = 3 lbs + 0.75 lbs = 3 lbs + 12 oz = 3 lbs 12 oz

Kitchen scales: Many digital scales switch between decimal pounds (5.63 lbs) and pounds-ounces (5 lbs 10 oz). Use decimal for recipe scaling and math, pounds-ounces for traditional recipes and portions.

What's a "hundredweight" and how does it relate to pounds?

A hundredweight (abbreviated cwt) is a unit equal to 100 pounds in the US customary system. It's primarily used in freight shipping, agriculture, and commodity trading for pricing and calculating large quantities.

US hundredweight (short hundredweight): 100 pounds exactly

• Used in United States and Canada
• Freight rates often quote as $/cwt (dollars per hundred pounds)
• Commodity prices: livestock, grains sometimes price per cwt

UK hundredweight (long hundredweight): 112 pounds (8 stone)

• Used historically in British imperial system
• Now largely obsolete in favor of metric
• Equal to 1/20 of a UK long ton (2,240 lbs)

Practical examples:

• Freight charges: "$25/cwt" means $25 per 100 lbs
• A 500-lb shipment at $25/cwt costs 5 × $25 = $125
• Cattle pricing: "$180/cwt" means $1.80/lb; 1,200-lb steer = $2,160

Ton relationships:

• US short ton = 2,000 lbs = 20 cwt
• UK long ton = 2,240 lbs = 20 (UK) cwt
• Metric tonne = 2,204.6 lbs ≈ 22 cwt

Why it persists: Hundredweight provides convenient round numbers for commodity trading and freight pricing. Saying "$45 per hundredweight" sounds simpler than "$0.45 per pound," and multiplying weight by hundredweight rate requires fewer decimal places.

How accurate do bathroom scales measure pounds?

Typical consumer bathroom scales measure weight accurate to ±0.2-1 pound (±90-450 grams), depending on quality and calibration. This means a scale showing "150 lbs" indicates your actual weight is likely between 149-151 lbs.

Scale types and accuracy:

• Spring/mechanical scales: ±1 lb typical accuracy, can drift over time
• Basic digital scales: ±0.5 lb typical accuracy
• High-quality digital scales: ±0.2 lb accuracy (±90 grams)
• Medical-grade scales: ±0.1 lb accuracy (±50 grams)
• Laboratory balances: ±0.01 lb accuracy (±5 grams)

Factors affecting accuracy:

• Surface: Scales must sit on hard, flat, level floors; carpet adds error
• Calibration: Scales drift over time and need periodic calibration
• Battery: Low battery affects digital scale accuracy
• Temperature: Extreme temperatures alter spring tension or sensor readings
• Weight distribution: Leaning or shifting weight creates false readings

Consistency vs. accuracy: For weight tracking, consistency matters more than absolute accuracy. If your scale consistently reads 2 lbs heavy, you can still track changes accurately. Weigh yourself same time daily (morning after bathroom, before eating), same scale, same conditions.

Verification: To check scale accuracy, weigh a known weight (10-lb dumbbell, 5-lb bag of flour). If the scale shows 10.2 lbs for a 10-lb dumbbell, it's within reasonable tolerance. Differences over 0.5 lbs suggest recalibration needed.