Ton (metric) to Gram Converter

How many kilograms are in a metric ton?

There are exactly 1,000 kilograms (kg) in 1 metric ton (t).

• 1 metric ton = 1,000 kg
• To convert tons to kg: multiply by 1,000
• To convert kg to tons: divide by 1,000
• Example: 2.5 metric tons = 2.5 × 1,000 = 2,500 kg
• Example: 3,500 kg = 3,500 ÷ 1,000 = 3.5 metric tons

Use our ton to kilogram converter for instant conversions.

Is a metric ton the same as a US ton?

No. A metric ton is NOT the same as a US ton.

Metric Ton (Tonne):

• 1,000 kg = 2,204.6 pounds
• Used internationally
• Standard for global trade

US Ton (Short Ton):

• 2,000 pounds = 907.185 kg
• Used primarily in the United States
• Domestic commerce and industry

Difference: A metric ton is approximately 10% heavier than a US ton.

• 1 metric ton ≈ 1.102 US tons
• 1 US ton ≈ 0.907 metric tons

Why it matters: Significant difference in shipping, pricing, and cargo calculations. Always clarify which ton is being used!

Convert between them: Metric ton to US ton | Ton to pound

Why is it sometimes spelled "tonne"?

"Tonne" is the international spelling used to clearly distinguish the metric ton from imperial/US tons (short ton and long ton).

Usage:

• "Tonne": International standard, used in UK, Australia, Europe, Asia
• "Metric ton": Used in the United States to distinguish from US ton
• Both refer to the same unit: 1,000 kilograms

Pronunciation: Same pronunciation for both ("tun")

Why different spellings exist:

• Avoids confusion with short ton (US) and long ton (UK)
• "Tonne" comes from French ("tonneau")
• Makes documentation clearer in international trade
• Some industries prefer one spelling over the other

In practice: Use "metric ton" in US contexts, "tonne" elsewhere, or specify "1,000 kg" to be absolutely clear.

How many pounds are in a metric ton?

1 metric ton = 2,204.62 pounds (lb)

Commonly rounded to 2,205 pounds for practical use.

Conversion:

• Exact: 1 metric ton = 2,204.62262 lb
• Practical: 1 metric ton ≈ 2,205 lb
• To convert: metric tons × 2,204.6 = pounds
• Example: 5 metric tons = 5 × 2,204.6 = 11,023 lb

Comparison to US ton:

• Metric ton: 2,204.6 lb
• US ton: 2,000 lb
• Difference: 204.6 lb (about 10%)

Quick mental math:

• 1 metric ton ≈ 2,200 pounds (slightly under)
• Close to 1.1 US tons

Use our metric ton to pound converter for accurate conversions.

What weighs about 1 metric ton?

Common items that weigh approximately 1 metric ton (1,000 kg or 2,205 lb):

Vehicles:

• Small compact car (Honda Fit, Smart Car)
• Small motorcycle collection (several bikes)
• Small boat with trailer
• Golf cart (industrial models)

Animals:

• Large horse
• Large bison or buffalo
• Very large saltwater crocodile
• Small whale (pilot whale)

Materials:

• 1 cubic meter of water (exactly 1 ton)
• About 500 bricks
• Pallet of bottled water (about 1,000 bottles)
• 18-20 bags of cement (50 kg each)

Agricultural:

• Mid-size dairy cow
• Small harvest of grain (about 1,000 kg)
• Large hay bale (2-3 large round bales)

Household:

• Contents of a small apartment
• 10-15 washing machines
• 15-20 refrigerators

Perspective: Most passenger cars weigh 1-2 metric tons. A metric ton is substantial but not enormous - about half the weight of a typical sedan.

How do you convert cubic meters to metric tons?

You can't directly convert - cubic meters (m³) measure volume, metric tons (t) measure mass. You need to know the density of the material.

Formula: Mass (tons) = Volume (m³) × Density (tons/m³)

Common Material Densities:

Liquids:

• Water: 1 m³ = 1 ton (exactly, at 4°C)
• Gasoline: 1 m³ = 0.75 ton
• Diesel: 1 m³ = 0.85 ton
• Crude oil: 1 m³ = 0.8-0.95 ton
• Milk: 1 m³ = 1.03 ton

Construction Materials:

• Concrete: 1 m³ = 2.4 ton
• Asphalt: 1 m³ = 2.3 ton
• Gravel: 1 m³ = 1.5-1.7 ton
• Sand (dry): 1 m³ = 1.6 ton
• Topsoil: 1 m³ = 1.2-1.4 ton

Metals:

• Steel: 1 m³ = 7.85 ton
• Aluminum: 1 m³ = 2.7 ton
• Copper: 1 m³ = 8.96 ton
• Gold: 1 m³ = 19.3 ton

Wood (varies greatly):

• Softwood: 1 m³ = 0.4-0.6 ton
• Hardwood: 1 m³ = 0.6-0.9 ton

Example: How many tons is 10 m³ of concrete?

• 10 m³ × 2.4 tons/m³ = 24 metric tons

Tip: Always check the specific material's density for accurate conversion.

How many metric tons can a truck carry?

It varies widely by truck type and regulations:

Light Trucks:

• Pickup truck (half-ton): 0.5-1 ton payload
• Pickup truck (one-ton): 1-1.5 ton payload
• Cargo van: 1-1.5 ton
• Small box truck: 1-2 ton

Medium Trucks:

• Medium box truck: 3-5 ton
• Large delivery truck: 5-8 ton
• Flatbed truck: 8-12 ton
• Dump truck: 10-15 ton

Heavy Trucks (Semi-trucks):

• Typical semi-truck: 20-25 ton payload
• Maximum legal (US): ~23 ton (gross weight 36 ton)
• Maximum legal (Europe): ~26 ton (gross weight 40-44 ton)
• Special permit: Up to 40+ ton (overweight permits)

Specialized:

• Mining dump truck: 100-400 ton
• Logging truck: 20-30 ton
• Concrete mixer: 8-10 ton of concrete
• Tanker truck: 20-30 ton of liquid

Legal Limits Vary By:

• Country/region regulations
• Road type (highway vs local)
• Number of axles
• Permits (standard vs overweight)

Note: These are payload capacities (cargo weight), not including the truck's own weight.

What is the difference between gross ton and net ton?

Gross Ton and Net Ton refer to different measurement contexts:

In Shipping:

Gross Tonnage (GT):

• Measures a ship's overall internal volume
• NOT weight - despite "tonnage" in the name!
• Used for registration, regulations, port fees
• Formula based on enclosed spaces
• Example: Cruise ship = 100,000 GT

Net Tonnage (NT):

• Measures a ship's earning capacity (cargo space volume)
• Also volume, not weight
• Excludes crew quarters, machinery, etc.
• Example: Same cruise ship = 50,000 NT

In Mining/Refining:

Gross Ton:

• Total weight including impurities
• Example: Iron ore with rock mixed in

Net Ton:

• Pure/usable material weight
• Example: Pure iron content only

In Commerce:

Gross Weight:

• Total weight including packaging, container
• Example: Product + box + pallet = gross weight

Net Weight:

• Product weight only (excluding packaging)
• Example: Just the product itself

Important: In most shipping contexts, "tonnage" refers to volume, not weight. For actual cargo weight, use "deadweight tonnage (DWT)" in metric tons.

How much is a ton of CO₂?

1 ton of CO₂ is a measurement used in climate science and carbon accounting. But what does it mean practically?

Visual Understanding (CO₂ is a gas, so it's about volume):

• 1 ton of CO₂ at normal pressure = ~509 cubic meters of gas
• That's a cube about 8 meters on each side (26 feet)
• Enough to fill a small house!

How Much Do We Emit?

Individual Activities:

• Driving: 1 ton CO₂ = ~2,500 miles in average car
• Flying: 1 ton CO₂ = ~1 passenger, economy, transatlantic flight
• Electricity: 1 ton CO₂ = ~1,700 kWh (varies by power source)
• Natural gas heating: 1 ton CO₂ = ~500 therms

Average Annual Emissions:

• US person: ~16 tons CO₂/year
• Europe person: ~6-8 tons CO₂/year
• Global average: ~4 tons CO₂/year
• Target (Paris Agreement): ~2 tons CO₂/year by 2050

To Offset 1 Ton of CO₂:

• Plant ~50-100 trees (over their lifetime)
• Avoid ~1,000 miles of driving
• Switch to renewable energy for several months
• Reduce meat consumption significantly

Cost of Carbon:

• Carbon credits: $10-50 per ton (varies by market)
• Carbon tax: Varies by country
• Offset programs: $10-30 per ton typically

Why It Matters: Understanding ton of CO₂ helps track climate impact, set reduction goals, and calculate carbon footprints.

How many metric tons is a shipping container?

Container Weight Depends on Type and Loading:

Empty Container Weight:

• 20-ft container: 2.3 metric tons (empty)
• 40-ft container: 3.7 metric tons (empty)
• 40-ft high cube: 3.9 metric tons (empty)

Maximum Gross Weight (container + cargo):

• 20-ft container: 28-30 metric tons max
• 40-ft container: 30 metric tons max
• 40-ft high cube: 30 metric tons max

Maximum Payload (cargo only):

• 20-ft container: ~25-28 metric tons of cargo
• 40-ft container: ~26-27 metric tons of cargo

Actual Cargo Weight Varies:

• Light cargo (furniture, clothing): 5-15 tons
• Medium cargo (packaged goods): 15-22 tons
• Heavy cargo (machinery, metals): 22-28 tons

Weight Restrictions:

• Road transport: Often limited to 20-24 tons (varies by country)
• Rail transport: Can handle full 28-30 tons
• Ship transport: Full weight capacity usually available

Volume vs Weight:

• Container volume: 20-ft = 33 m³, 40-ft = 67 m³
• If cargo is light: Volume fills before weight limit
• If cargo is dense: Weight limit reached before volume fills

Example:

• Container full of styrofoam: ~5 tons (volume limited)
• Container full of steel plates: ~28 tons (weight limited)

TEU = Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (shipping industry standard):

• 1 TEU = One 20-ft container
• 1 FEU = One 40-ft container = 2 TEU

How do I convert short tons to metric tons?

1 US short ton = 0.907185 metric tons 1 metric ton = 1.10231 short tons

Conversion Formulas:

• Short tons to metric tons: multiply by 0.907185
• Metric tons to short tons: multiply by 1.10231

Examples:

• 10 short tons = 10 × 0.907 = 9.07 metric tons
• 10 metric tons = 10 × 1.102 = 11.02 short tons
• 100 short tons = 90.7 metric tons
• 1,000 metric tons = 1,102 short tons

Quick Approximations:

• Short tons to metric: Subtract ~10% (multiply by 0.9)
• Metric to short tons: Add ~10% (multiply by 1.1)

Why Different?:

• US short ton: 2,000 pounds = 907.185 kg
• Metric ton: 1,000 kg = 2,204.6 pounds
• Metric ton is 10% heavier

When to Convert:

• International trade (metric tons standard)
• US domestic to global markets
• Engineering specifications
• Scientific publications (use metric)

Use Our Converter: Short ton to metric ton for precise conversions - avoid manual calculation errors!

Also Available:

• Long ton (UK): 2,240 lb = 1.016 metric tons
• Long ton to metric ton converter