Ounce: Difference between revisions
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:''This article is about the unit of mass. For the unit of force, see [[Pound-force]]. For the unit of volume, see [[Fluid ounce]]. For all other uses, see [[Ounce (disambiguation)]].'' |
:''This article is about the unit of mass. For the unit of force, see [[Pound-force]]. For the unit of volume, see [[Fluid ounce]]. For all other uses, see [[Ounce (disambiguation)]].'' |
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An '''ounce''' (abbreviated '''oz''', from the former Italian word ''onza'', now spelled ''oncia''; [[apothecary]] symbol: '''℥''') is usually the [[#International avoirdupois ounce|international avoirdupois ounce]] as used in the [[United States customary units|United States customary]] and [[imperial unit|imperial]] systems, which is equal to one sixteenth of a [[Pound (mass)|pound]] or approximately 28 [[gram]]s. There are also other ounces which are used in a number of different systems and are of different sizes. The most commonly used other ounce is the [[#International troy ounce|international troy ounce]]. |
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When used as a measure of mass, the most common ounce is the [[#International avoirdupois ounce|international avoirdupois ounce]] (28.35 g or 437.5 [[Grain (unit)|grains]]), defined as {{fract|1|16}} of a [[Pound (mass)#Avoirdupois pound|pound avoirdupois]]. [[Gold]], [[silver]] and other precious are often traded by the [[troy ounce]] (31.10 g or 480 grains), defined as {{fract|1|12}} of a [[Troy ounce#Troy pound (troy)|troy pound]] while the [[Apothecaries' system|Apothecaries ounce]], identical in value to the troy ounce is often in the [[pharmaceutical industry]] in the United States. <!--The ounce is also used as a measure of volume, in which case it is described as a "[[fluid ounce]]". The US fluid ounce (29.57 ml) is defined as {{fract|1|16}} of a [[Pint#United States liquid pint|US pint]] while the imperial fluid ounce (28.41 ml) is defined as {{fract|1|20}} of an [[Pint#Imperial pint|imperial pint]].--> |
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== Etymology == |
== Etymology == |
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Revision as of 20:28, 3 September 2013
- This article is about the unit of mass. For the unit of force, see Pound-force. For the unit of volume, see Fluid ounce. For all other uses, see Ounce (disambiguation).
An ounce (abbreviated oz, from the former Italian word onza, now spelled oncia; apothecary symbol: ℥) is usually the international avoirdupois ounce as used in the United States customary and imperial systems, which is equal to one sixteenth of a pound or approximately 28 grams. There are also other ounces which are used in a number of different systems and are of different sizes. The most commonly used other ounce is the international troy ounce.
Etymology
Ounce derives from Latin uncia, a unit that was one twelfth (1/12)[1] of the Roman pound (libra). Ounce was borrowed twice: first into Old English as ynsan or yndsan from an unattested Vulgar Latin form with ts for c before i (palatalization) and second into Middle English through Anglo-Norman and Middle French (unce, once, ounce).[2]
Inch comes from the same Latin word, but differs because it was borrowed into Old English and underwent i-mutation or umlaut (u → y) and palatalization (k → ch).
Definitions
Historically, in different parts of the world, at different points in time, and for different applications, the ounce (or its translation) has referred to broadly similar but different standards of mass.
| ounce variant | equivalent in grams | equivalent in grains |
|---|---|---|
| International avoirdupois ounce | 28.349523125 | 437.5 |
| International troy ounce | 31.1034768 | 480 |
| Apothecaries' ounce | ||
| Maria Theresa ounce | 28.0668 | |
| Spanish ounce | 28.75 | |
| Roman ounce | 27.4 | |
| Dutch metric ounce | 100 | |
| Chinese metric ounce | 50 |
International avoirdupois ounce
The avoirdupois ounce is the most commonly used ounce today. It is defined to be one sixteenth of an avoirdupois pound. The avoirdupois pound is defined as 7000 grains; one ounce is therefore equal to 437.5 grains.
In the international yard and pound agreement of 1959 the United States and countries of the Commonwealth of Nations agreed to define the international avoirdupois ounce to be exactly 0.45359237⁄16 kg (28.349523125 g) by definition.
The ounce is commonly used as a unit of mass in the United States.
On January 1, 2000, it ceased to be a legal unit of measure within the United Kingdom for economic, health, safety or administrative purposes.[3]
International troy ounce
A troy ounce (abbreviated as t oz) is equal to 480 grains. Consequently, the international troy ounce is equal to exactly 31.1034768 grams. There are 12 troy ounces in the now obsolete troy pound.
Today, the troy ounce is used only to express the mass of precious metals such as gold, platinum, palladium, rhodium or silver. Bullion coins are the most common products produced and marketed in troy ounces, but precious metal bars also exist in gram and kilogram (kg) sizes. (A kilogram bullion bar contains 32.15074657 troy ounces.)
For historical measurement of gold,
- a fine ounce is a troy ounce of pure gold content in a gold bar, computed as fineness multiplied by gross weight[4]
- a standard ounce is a troy ounce of 22 carat gold, 91.66% pure (an 11 to 1 proportion of gold to alloy material)
- in modern day, an ounce of gold (1 troy ounce) is referred as a 99.99% pure gold piece or gold grains (gold shot)
Apothecaries' ounce
The obsolete apothecaries' ounce (abbreviated ℥) equivalent to the troy ounce, was formerly used by apothecaries (now called pharmacists or chemists).[citation needed]
Maria Theresa ounce
"Maria Theresa ounce" was once introduced in Ethiopia and some European countries, which was equal to the weight of one Maria Theresa thaler, or 28.0668 g.[5][6] Both the weight and the value are the definition of one birr, still in use in present-day Ethiopia and formerly in Eritrea.[citation needed]
Spanish ounce
The Spanish pound (Spanish libra) was 460 g.[7] The Spanish ounce (Spanish onza) was 1⁄16 of a pound, i.e. 28.75 g.[8]
Metric ounces
The unit metric ounce is 25 grams[9] and 20 make the metric pound of 500 grams.
Some countries have redefined their ounces in the metric system.[10] For example, the German apothecaries ounce of 30 grams, is very close to the previously widespread Nuremberg ounce, but the divisions and multiples come out in metric.
In 1820, the Dutch redefined their ounce (in Dutch, ons) as 100 grams.[11][12] Dutch amendments to the metric system, such as an ons or 100 grams, has been inherited, adopted, and taught in Indonesia beginning in elementary school. It is also listed as standard usage in Indonesia's national dictionary, the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, and the government's official elementary‐school curriculum.[citation needed]
East Asia has a traditional ounce, known as a tael, of varying value. The katti of 16 tael, originally 4⁄3 lb avoirdupois, is now 600 grams. The corresponding tael or tail is then 37.5 grams.[9] In China, it has been given a metric value of 50 grams.[citation needed]
Ounce-force
An ounce-force is 1/16 of a pound-force, or 0.2780139 newtons.
The "ounce" in "ounce-force" is equivalent to an avoirdupois ounce; ounce-force is a measurement of force using avoirdupois ounces. However, it is not necessary to identify it as such or to differentiate it in that way because there is no equivalent measure of force using troy or any other "ounce".
Fluid ounce
A fluid ounce (abbreviated fl oz, fl. oz. or oz. fl.) is a unit of volume equal to about 28 ml in the imperial system or about 30 ml in the US system. The fluid ounce is sometimes referred to simply as an "ounce" in applications where its use is implicit. The imperial fluid ounce is also equivalent to the volume occupied by 1 imperial ounce of water weighed in air at 62 °F.
Other uses
Fabric weight
Ounces are also used to express the "weight", or more accurately the areal density, of a textile fabric in North America, Asia or the UK, as in "16 oz denim". The number refers to the weight in ounces of a given amount of fabric, either a yard of a given width, or a square yard.[13][14]
| Fabric type | Typical weight in ounces |
|---|---|
| Organza, voile, chiffon | 1-3 |
| Most cottons, wools, silks, muslin, linen | 4-7 |
| Denim, corduroy, twill, velvet | 7-16 |
Notes and references
- ^ uncia. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
- ^ "ounce". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ "The Units of Measurement Regulations 1995 (Article 4)". 2000-09-20. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
- ^ London Bullion Market Association. "Market Basics".
- ^ Greenfield, Richard (1965). Ethiopia: a new political history. F. A. Praeger. p. 327.
- ^ Ethiopia observer. Vol. 6. 1962. pp. 187–8.
- ^ Diccionario de la Real Academia Española, 23rd edition, libra
- ^ Diccionario de la Real Academia Española, 23rd edition, onza
- ^ a b Cardarelli, François (1999). Encyclopaddia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures. Springer. ISBN 1-85233-682-X.
- ^ Wittop Koning, D. A.; Houben, G. M. M. (1980). 2000 jaar gewichten in de nederlanden. Lochem-Poperinge: De Tijdstroom. ISBN 9060879651. Template:Nl icon
- ^ "Guide to The Hague – Where to turn". Archived from the original on 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
- ^ "Nederlands metriek stelsel". Retrieved 2008-01-01.
- ^ "How to shop the fabric market". Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ "How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement". Retrieved 2008-12-10.