Tons to Pounds Converter
Convert short (US), long (UK) or metric tons to pounds, or pounds to tons, with kilograms and the other kinds of ton.
Results
| Item | Value |
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Quick Answer
A US (short) ton is 2,000 pounds, so multiply tons by 2,000 to get pounds: 2 tons is 4,000 lb and 1.5 tons is 3,000 lb. A UK long ton is 2,240 lb and a metric ton (tonne) is 2,204.62 lb. To turn pounds into short tons, divide by 2,000: 5,000 lb is 2.5 tons.
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Table of Contents
- Tons to Pounds Converter
- Quick Answer
- Related Calculators
- How This Tons to Pounds Converter Works
- How to Use the Tons to Pounds Converter
- Tons to Pounds Formulas
- Key Terms
- Worked Example
- Real-Life Examples
- Short Ton vs Metric Ton
- Tons to Pounds Chart
- Short Tons, Long Tons and Tonnes
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Frequently Asked Questions
- References & Sources
How This Tons to Pounds Converter Works
Gravel, mulch, trucks, cranes, cargo and air conditioners are rated in tons, but there are three different tons in common use. Choose the direction and the ton your figure uses, enter the amount and press Calculate. The converter gives pounds (or tons), kilograms and the same weight in all three kinds of ton.
Quick explanation: 1 US ton = 2,000 pounds.
- Short ton: 2,000 lb (US).
- Long ton: 2,240 lb (UK, shipping).
- Metric ton: 1,000 kg = 2,204.6 lb.
How to Use the Tons to Pounds Converter
- Choose tons to pounds or pounds to tons.
- Choose the kind of ton.
- Enter the amount.
- Press Calculate.
- Read pounds, kilograms and the weight in every kind of ton.
Tons to Pounds Formulas
- Short ton: lb = tons × 2,000; tons = lb ÷ 2,000
- Long ton: lb = tons × 2,240; tons = lb ÷ 2,240
- Metric ton: lb = tonnes × 2,204.6226; 1 t = 1,000 kg
- Kilograms: kg = lb × 0.45359237
- Short ton in kg: 2,000 × 0.45359237 = 907.18474 kg
Key Terms
- Short ton: 2,000 lb, the US ton.
- Long ton: 2,240 lb, the UK imperial ton.
- Metric ton (tonne, t): 1,000 kg, about 2,204.6 lb.
- Hundredweight: 100 lb in the US, 112 lb in the UK.
- Payload: the weight a vehicle can carry.
Worked Example
A landscape supplier sells gravel by the ton. How many pounds is a 3.5 ton load, and what is it in metric tons?
- US short tons: 3.5 × 2,000 = 7,000 lb
- In kilograms: 7,000 × 0.45359 = 3,175 kg
- In metric tons: 3.175 t
Going the other way, a pickup with a 1,500 lb payload can carry 1,500 ÷ 2,000 = 0.75 short tons.
Real-Life Examples
- Landscaping: 2 tons of gravel is 4,000 lb.
- Trucks: a 1 ton pickup rating is 2,000 lb.
- Shipping: 25 metric tons is 55,116 lb.
- Cars: a 4,500 lb SUV weighs 2.25 short tons.
Short Ton vs Metric Ton
- Short ton: 2,000 lb = 907.18 kg.
- Metric ton: 1,000 kg = 2,204.62 lb.
- Difference: a metric ton is about 10.2% heavier.
Tons to Pounds Chart
Short 2,000 lb; long 2,240 lb; metric 1,000 kg.
| Tons | Short tons (lb) | Long tons (lb) | Metric tons (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | 500 lb | 560 lb | 551.2 lb |
| 0.5 | 1,000 lb | 1,120 lb | 1,102.3 lb |
| 1 | 2,000 lb | 2,240 lb | 2,204.6 lb |
| 1.5 | 3,000 lb | 3,360 lb | 3,306.9 lb |
| 2 | 4,000 lb | 4,480 lb | 4,409.2 lb |
| 3 | 6,000 lb | 6,720 lb | 6,613.9 lb |
| 5 | 10,000 lb | 11,200 lb | 11,023.1 lb |
| 10 | 20,000 lb | 22,400 lb | 22,046.2 lb |
| 20 | 40,000 lb | 44,800 lb | 44,092.5 lb |
| 25 | 50,000 lb | 56,000 lb | 55,115.6 lb |
| 40 | 80,000 lb | 89,600 lb | 88,184.9 lb |
| 50 | 100,000 lb | 112,000 lb | 110,231.1 lb |
| 100 | 200,000 lb | 224,000 lb | 220,462.3 lb |
Short Tons, Long Tons and Tonnes
The ton started as a measure of wine casks and ended up with different sizes on each side of the Atlantic. The United States settled on the short ton of 2,000 pounds, used for trucks, bulk materials, coal and freight. Britain used the long ton of 2,240 pounds (20 hundredweight of 112 lb), still seen in shipping and older records. Almost everywhere else uses the metric ton, or tonne, of exactly 1,000 kg, which is 204.6 lb heavier than a short ton.
Some uses of the word ton are not weights at all. A ton of air conditioning is a cooling power of 12,000 BTU per hour, and a ship’s gross tonnage measures volume. This converter handles weight only. When a price or limit is quoted in tons, check which ton is meant, because the difference between short and long tons is 12%.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using the wrong ton. Short, long and metric tons differ by up to 12%.
- Using 2,200 lb for a tonne. It is 2,204.6 lb.
- Confusing AC tons with weight. A cooling ton is 12,000 BTU/h.
- Mixing kg and lb. 1,000 kg is a tonne, not a short ton.
- Rounding big loads. 40 tonnes is 88,185 lb, not 88,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
2,000 lb in a US short ton; 2,240 lb in a long ton; 2,204.6 lb in a metric ton.
Multiply US tons by 2,000.
2 short tons is 4,000 lb.
5,000 lb is 2.5 short tons.
A metric ton is 2,204.62 lb.
A long ton is 2,240 lb.
No. A tonne is 1,000 kg; a US ton is 2,000 lb (907 kg).
A short ton is 907.18 kg.
1.5 short tons is 3,000 lb.
References & Sources
| Source | Used For | Link |
|---|---|---|
| NIST, Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8 | Ton, short (2,000 lb) = 907.1847 kg; ton, long (2,240 lb) = 1,016.047 kg; ton, metric = 1,000 kg. | https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811/nist-guide-si-appendix-b-conversion-factors/nist-guide-si-appendix-b8 |
| NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C: General Tables of Units of Measurement | Avoirdupois short and long tons and hundredweights. | https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/nist-handbook-44-current-edition |