Difference Between Pound and Kilogram

Both pounds and kilograms are ways to measure how much something weighs. The word "pound" refers to a way to measure weight or mass in the imperial system. On the other hand, the kilogramme became part of the SI, or International System of Units, in 1959.

All the things in our universe have mass, and we measure it in both Kilograms and Pounds. To make the conversion from Pounds to Kilograms for international or laboratory purposes, we use the ratio of 1 Pound = 0.453592 Kgs.

But there are small differences between figuring out mass in kilograms and figuring out the same thing in pounds. People often ask how many kilograms are in one pound when they want to convert the weight of something from kilograms to pounds or vice versa.

How Many Kilograms is One Pound?

Just under half a kilogramme is one pound. To be precise,

1 pound is equal to 0.453 kg

Using the same formula, you can figure out how many pounds are in a kilogramme.

1 kg = 2.204 pounds

Before we go on to learn what the difference between a pound and a kilogramme is, let's talk about what a pound and a kilogramme are.

History of the kilo

The basic unit of mass in the metric system is the kilogramme.

In 1795, the first definition of a kilogramme was the weight of one litre of water. In 1799, the Kilogramme des Archives made of platinum took its place as the standard unit of mass.

It was replaced in 1899 by a standard kilogramme, which was also a solid cylinder. Its height was the same as its diameter, and it was made of the same platinum-iridium alloy as the bar that was used to define the metre at the time.

In 2011, the General Conference on Weights and Measures, or CGPM, made a plan to change how the kilogramme is defined from a physical object to a fundamental physical constant. The Plank constant was chosen as the most important constant in physics. The main reason this was done was to avoid having the kilogramme be defined by an object whose weight changed. At the CGPM in 2018, the proposal was accepted, and it will start to be used in May 2019.

What is a kilo?

According to the SI system, one kilogramme is equal to the weight of one litre of water. IPK is a standard Iridium-Platinum cylindrical figure that is exactly equal to 1 kg. It is kept in a vault at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in France. To know how a pound is related to a kilogramme, you should also know more about a pound.

The past of the pound

The Latin word "pondus," which is the unit of weight, is where the word "lbs" comes from.

The word "pound" has been around for a long time. It was first thought to have started when Charlemagne changed the way money worked in the Frankish Empire.

In Medieval England, different versions of the libra, which is the Roman ancestor of the modern pound, competed to become the standard. The Tower Pound was one of the first. It is called the Tower Pound because its standard used to be kept in the Royal Mint in the Tower of London. It was used for precious metals and drugs and had a weight of about 5,400 grains (o.350 kg), while the mercantile pound had a weight of about 6,750 grains (0.437 kg).

Now, the word "pound," which is English, is associated with a lot of different countries. For example, the German Mark, the Swedish Krona, and the Dutch Pond. All of these countries' names come from a Latin phrase that was borrowed into Proto-Germanic. The phrase is lbra pond, where the adverb pond means "by weight" and is related to the noun pondus, which means "weight." The phrase as a whole means "a pound by weight."

What is a Pound?

Under the Imperial system, one of the ways to measure mass is with a pound. Stone and ounce are two other types of scales. This unit has different names in different countries. It is called "lb" because the Roman pound was named after the Libra sign.

How many kilograms are in one pound? The exact answer is 0.45359237 kg. Still, it's hard to remember this number, so most calculations use 1 pound = 0.450 kg instead.

Multiple Choice Question – 1

Raj gets 10 lbs. of potatoes. How many kilograms did he buy of potatoes?

4.23 kg

6.53 kg

4.53 kg

3.73 kg

How to Convert Pounds to Kilograms

Knowing how many kilograms are in a pound is not enough. You should also be able to quickly change pounds into kilograms. To do this, just multiply the weight in kilograms by 0.453. So, 3 pounds is equal to 3 times 0.453 kg.

How to Convert Kilograms to Pounds

In the same way, to go from kilograms to pounds, multiply the weight in kilograms by 2,204.

Now that you know the difference between kg and lb, here is a quick exercise to do.

Exercise – 1

Q. Shruti orders 45 pounds of cement to build her house. But only 13 kg of cement is given to her. To finish her order, how many pounds of cement does she need?

Solution:

Method 1

First, turn 45 pounds into kilograms.

So, the amount of cement ordered (in kg) is 45 times 0.453, which is 20.38kg.

Shruti's order came with 13 kg of cement. So, the amount of cement that still needs to be sent is (20.41 - 13) kg. So, she still needs to get 7.38 kg of cement.

Pounds of cement still to be delivered = 7.38 x 2.20 = 16.236 pounds.

Method 2

This method is faster because it only requires one conversion.

Start by figuring out how many pounds 13 kg is.

Cement delivered = 13 x 2.204 = 28.65 pounds.

Delivered cement = 45 - 28.65 = 16.35 pounds

When you remember the "lbs to kilos formula," it's very easy to do the math.

With Vedantu's many tricks and tips, it's easier to figure out how much 1 lb. is in kg. We even give students a Vedantu app to help them stay connected. Students can go to class and learn more about certain chapters, topics, and subjects by using this app.