Convert Long Ton to Short Ton

FromLong Ton (ton)

ToShort Ton (ton)

Long Ton

The long ton (symbol lt) is a unit of mass primarily used in the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries. It is equal to 2,240 pounds or approximately 1,016.05 kilograms. The long ton is part of the imperial system and is larger than both the short ton (used in the U.S.) and the metric ton.

Origin:

The long ton originated in medieval England as a standardized measure for trade, particularly for goods like coal and other bulk materials. It was defined as 20 long hundredweight, with each long hundredweight being 112 pounds. This measure became part of the British Imperial System in 1824 and has been widely used in maritime and industrial contexts, especially in the UK, before the metric system was more broadly adopted.

Short Ton

The short ton (symbol tn or t) is a unit of mass primarily used in the United States. It is equal to 2,000 pounds or approximately 907.1847 kilograms. The short ton is part of the U.S. customary system and is smaller than both the long ton (used in the UK) and the metric ton.

Origin:

The short ton originated in the U.S. as a way to standardize weight measurements, particularly for bulk commodities like coal and steel. It is called "short" to distinguish it from the long ton (also known as the imperial ton), which is used in the UK and equals 2,240 pounds. The short ton became widely used in the United States during the 19th century as part of the U.S. customary system of measurements.