Metric tons or Imperial tons

LoBlo · 01-13-07, 01:11 PM

Sub displacement is always given in tons, but which "tons" is it...

... the imperial ton = 2000lbs
... or the metric ton = 1000 kg

There's sufficient difference between the two. Anyone know which one is generally used?

geetrue · 01-13-07, 02:08 PM

This is all I could find:

The short ton is a unit of mass equal to 2,000 lb

The long ton is 2,240 lb
It has some limited use in the US, most commonly in measuring the
displacementof ships, and was the unit prescribed for warships
(e.g., battleships limited to 35,000 tons) in the international
agreements between the World Wars

Spoon 11th · 01-13-07, 04:43 PM

Here's a funny picture:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Metric_system.png

edit:
The official US navy website shows both long tons (or short tons) and metric tons for ships.

Sailor Steve · 01-13-07, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoBlo

Sub displacement is always given in tons, but which "tons" is it...

... the imperial ton = 2000lbs
... or the metric ton = 1000 kg

There's sufficient difference between the two. Anyone know which one is generally used?

Sorry, but it's neither.

Ship displacements are always in "long" tons = 2240lbs. This is why early British guns are rated in "hundredweights" (i.e. 12pdr/45 8cwt). One hundredweight is 112pds, so 20 hundredweight (or cwt) is one long ton.

LoBlo · 01-13-07, 05:11 PM

1 metric ton = 1000 kg = 2240 lbs

Sailor Steve · 01-13-07, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoBlo

1 metric ton = 1000 kg = 2240 lbs

No. 1000kg = 2204.6 lbs

Note, that's 2204, not 2240.

2240 lbs = 1016kg.

01-13-07, 01:11 PM	#1
LoBlo Subsim Diehard Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas! Posts: 971 Downloads: 78 Uploads: 3	Metric tons or Imperial tons Sub displacement is always given in tons, but which "tons" is it... ... the imperial ton = 2000lbs ... or the metric ton = 1000 kg There's sufficient difference between the two. Anyone know which one is generally used? __________________ "Seek not to offend or annoy... only to speak the truth"-a wise man

01-13-07, 02:08 PM	#2
geetrue Cold War Boomer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Walla Walla Posts: 2,837 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	This is all I could find: The short ton is a unit of mass equal to 2,000 lb The long ton is 2,240 lb It has some limited use in the US, most commonly in measuring the displacementof ships, and was the unit prescribed for warships (e.g., battleships limited to 35,000 tons) in the international agreements between the World Wars __________________

01-13-07, 05:11 PM	#5
LoBlo Subsim Diehard Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas! Posts: 971 Downloads: 78 Uploads: 3	1 metric ton = 1000 kg = 2240 lbs __________________ "Seek not to offend or annoy... only to speak the truth"-a wise man

01-13-07, 04:43 PM	#3
Spoon 11th Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Finland Posts: 689 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Here's a funny picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Metric_system.png edit: The official US navy website shows both long tons (or short tons) and metric tons for ships.