Convert Short Ton to Slug

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.

The slug was introduced in the late 19th century as part of the foot-pound-second (FPS) system, which was developed to be more consistent with the principles of mechanics, particularly Newton's second law of motion. The term "slug" was chosen because it represented a unit of mass that would help express the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration in a way that was easier to apply in engineering and scientific calculations. The slug is used primarily in the U.S. and some engineering contexts, but it is less common in everyday measurements, where the pound is typically used for mass and weight.