What Is ton (long)?
A long ton is a unit used to measure heavy weight. It is mainly used in the United Kingdom and in sea transport. One long ton is bigger than the ton used in the United States and slightly bigger than a metric tonne.
Definition
A long ton is defined as exactly 2,240 pounds.
In metric units this is about 1,016.05 kilograms.
So you can write:
- 1 long ton = 2,240 pounds
- 1 long ton ≈ 1,016.05 kilograms
- 1 long ton ≈ 1.016 metric tonnes
- 1 long ton ≈ 1.12 short tons
History / Origin
The long ton comes from old British weight systems. In that system 1 long ton was made from 20 hundredweights, and each long hundredweight was 112 pounds.
So:
- 1 hundredweight (long) = 112 pounds
- 20 hundredweights (long) = 1 long ton
This system was used in trade, shipping, and industry in the United Kingdom and many parts of the former British Empire. Later, many countries changed to the metric system. The United Kingdom began using kilograms and tonnes in most areas, but the long ton stayed in use for some special purposes, especially at sea.
Symbol & Abbreviation
The long ton does not have a single official symbol, but these forms are common:
- long ton written in full in text
- lt as a short form
- L/T sometimes used in shipping and industry
In older British writing, people often wrote just ton and meant the long ton. Today that can be confusing because the short ton and the metric tonne also exist. For clear writing it is better to say long ton or use lt.
Current Use Around the World
Today the long ton is not used as much as before, but it still appears in some places.
- United Kingdom Still used in some shipping, naval work, and older industrial data. Most everyday uses now prefer kilograms and tonnes.
- United States The US mainly uses the short ton of 2,000 pounds. However, the US Navy and some parts of shipping sometimes use the long ton for ship displacement and cargo capacity.
- Other countries Most other countries use the metric tonne. The long ton may appear in historical records, old contracts, and some sea transport papers linked to British or US systems.
Because different tons exist, it is important to check which type of ton a document means. If it is British or naval and older, it may mean a long ton.
Example Conversions
Use these simple rules:
- To get kilograms from long tons, multiply by 1,016.05.
- To get metric tonnes from long tons, multiply by 1.016.
- To get short tons from long tons, multiply by 1.12.
- To get pounds from long tons, multiply by 2,240.
Some worked examples:
- 1 long ton
- 1 long ton = 2,240 lb
- 1 long ton ≈ 1,016.05 kg
- 1 long ton ≈ 1.016 t (metric tonnes)
- 1 long ton ≈ 1.12 short tons
- 5 long tons
- 5 long tons = 5 × 2,240 lb = 11,200 lb
- 5 long tons ≈ 5 × 1,016.05 kg ≈ 5,080.25 kg
- 5 long tons ≈ 5 × 1.016 t ≈ 5.08 t
- 5 long tons ≈ 5 × 1.12 ≈ 5.6 short tons
- 0.5 long ton
- 0.5 long ton = 1,120 lb
- 0.5 long ton ≈ 508.03 kg
Related Units
The long ton is closely linked with these other weight units:
- Pound (lb) The basic unit used to define the long ton. 1 long ton = 2,240 lb.
- Hundredweight (long cwt) An old British unit where 1 long cwt = 112 lb and 20 long cwt = 1 long ton.
- Short ton Mainly used in the United States. 1 short ton = 2,000 lb. So a long ton is heavier than a short ton.
- Metric tonne (t) Used in almost all metric countries. 1 tonne = 1,000 kg. A long ton is slightly heavier than a metric tonne.
- Kilogram (kg) The main metric unit of mass. 1 long ton ≈ 1,016.05 kg.
- Stone An old British body weight unit. 1 stone = 14 lb, so 1 long ton = 160 stone.
FAQs
Is a long ton the same as a metric tonne?
No. A metric tonne is 1,000 kilograms. A long ton is about 1,016.05 kilograms, so the long ton is a bit heavier.
What is the difference between a long ton and a short ton?
A long ton is 2,240 pounds. A short ton is 2,000 pounds. So a long ton is 240 pounds heavier than a short ton.
Where is the long ton still used?
It is mainly used in the United Kingdom and in shipping and naval work. It often appears when talking about ship weight or cargo capacity.
Why are there different kinds of tons?
Different countries created their own trade systems in the past. Britain used the long ton. The United States made the short ton. Later the metric tonne was created as part of the metric system.
How can I quickly estimate a long ton in metric?
You can think of 1 long ton as about 1,000 kilograms plus 1.5 percent more. For most everyday use, 1 long ton ≈ 1.02 tonnes is close enough.
How many kilograms are in 2 long tons?
2 long tons ≈ 2 × 1,016.05 kg = 2,032.1 kg.
