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Concept
Ton
Summary
Ton is the name of any one of several units of measure. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses.
Mainly it describes units of mass. Confusion can arise because ton can mean
the long ton, which is
the short ton, which is
the tonne, also called the metric ton, which is 1,000 kilograms (about 2,204.6226218 pounds) or 1 megagram.
Its original use as a measurement of volume has continued in the capacity of cargo ships and in terms such as the freight ton and a number of other units, ranging from in capacity. Recent specialized uses include the ton as a measure of energy and as a means of truck classification. It can also be used as a unit of energy, or in refrigeration as a unit of power, sometimes called a ton of refrigeration.
Because the ton (of any system of measuring weight) is usually the heaviest unit named in colloquial speech, its name also has figurative uses, singular and plural, informally meaning a large amount or quantity, or to a great degree, as in "There's a ton of bees in this hive", "We have tons of homework", and "I love you a ton."
The ton is derived from the tun, the term applied to a cask of the largest capacity. This could contain a volume between , which could weigh around and occupy some of space.
There are several similar units of mass or volume called the ton:
Where precision is required the correct term should be used, as the difference between the short ton and the other common forms ("long" and "metric") is about 10%. However, when comparing between the metric and long tons, disambiguation may not be as necessary as they differ by only 1.6%.
The metric tonne is usually distinguished by its spelling when written, but in the US and UK it is pronounced the same as ton, hence is often spoken as "metric ton" when it is necessary to make the distinction. In the UK the final "e" of "tonne" can also be pronounced (ˈtʌni),. In Australia, it is pronounced tɒn.
In the United Kingdom, the (Imperial) ton is a statute measure, defined as 2,240 pounds (about ).
Official source
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