What is a metric ton (or tonne)?
A metric ton, also known as a tonne, is a unit of mass in the metric system equal to 1,000 kilograms or approximately 2,204.62 pounds. It is commonly used in international trade and commerce as a standard unit for measuring large quantities of goods such as minerals, agricultural products, and industrial materials. The metric ton is preferred over the traditional ton (short ton) in most countries due to its simplicity and consistency with the metric system.
The metric ton is widely used in industries such as shipping, manufacturing, and agriculture for its ease of conversion and compatibility with other metric units. It is important to note that the metric ton should not be confused with the ton (short ton) used in the United States, which is equivalent to 2,000 pounds.
What is a hundredweight?
A hundredweight, abbreviated as cwt, is a unit of weight commonly used in the imperial system of measurement.
There are two variations on hundredweights; the long hundredweight primarily used in the United Kingdom and the short hundredweight used in the United States.
In the imperial system, a long hundredweight is equal to 112 pounds or approximately 50.8 kilograms. The term "hundredweight" is derived from the fact that it originally represented the weight of 100 pounds of a particular commodity.
The short hundredweight is equal to 100 pounds or 45.35 kilograms.