Convert Carat to Milligram

FromCarat (ct)

ToMilligram (mg)

Carat

The carat (ct) is a unit of mass used to measure the weight of gemstones and pearls. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams or 0.2 grams. It is commonly used in the jewelry industry to indicate the size and weight of precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.

Origin:

The carat originated from the use of the carob seed (from the Ceratonia siliqua tree) as a reference for weight in ancient times. These seeds were used because of their relatively consistent weight, and they were widely available across regions. The term "carat" comes from the Greek word "keration", which means "little horn," referring to the carob seed. Over time, the carat became standardized, and in 1907, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) defined the carat as 200 milligrams, ensuring consistency in the measurement of gemstones worldwide.

Milligram

The milligram (mg) is a unit of mass in the metric system, equal to one-thousandth of a gram (0.001 g) or one-millionth of a kilogram (0.000001 kg). Since the gram and kilogram are defined using the Planck constant (h) in the International System of Units (SI), the milligram is indirectly tied to this same constant, ensuring precision and consistency.

Origin:

The milligram originated as a derived unit of mass within the metric system, introduced during the French Revolution in the late 18th century. As part of the decimal-based metric system, it was designed to provide a smaller and more convenient unit for measuring very light objects, especially in scientific and medical contexts. It is defined in relation to the gram, which was originally based on the mass of one cubic centimeter of pure water at 4°C.