What is microgram?
A microgram is a metric unit of mass equal to one millionth of a gram. It is used in analytical chemistry, toxicology, pharmacology, and measuring trace amounts of substances in laboratory settings.
Real-world uses
Micrograms are used for precise pharmaceutical dosages (e.g., 25 µg levothyroxine), trace element measurements in blood tests, and contaminant detection in water and food safety testing. Vitamin D and B12 are commonly dosed in micrograms.
History
The microgram became important with the development of analytical chemistry and pharmacology in the 20th century. The prefix "micro-" comes from the Greek "mikros" meaning small. It was formalized as an SI prefix in 1960.
Common mistakes
Misreading "µg" as "mg," leading to a 1000-fold dosing error—a potentially lethal mistake in medicine. Some prescribing guidelines mandate writing "microgram" in full to prevent this confusion.
What is long ton (UK)?
A long ton is a unit of mass historically used in the United Kingdom, equal to 2,240 pounds. It is used in shipping, naval architecture, and some industrial contexts in the UK.
Real-world uses
The long ton was historically used in British shipping, coal mining, and iron/steel trade. Naval vessel displacement is sometimes still quoted in long tons. It occasionally appears in older British engineering specifications and historical trade records.
History
The long ton of 2,240 pounds derives from the traditional English system of 20 hundredweight (each 112 lb). It was the standard British ton until metrication in the 1970s largely replaced it with the metric tonne in commerce.
Common mistakes
Confusing the long ton (2,240 lb / 1,016 kg) with the short ton (2,000 lb / 907 kg) or the metric tonne (2,205 lb / 1,000 kg). This 12% difference can cause major commercial discrepancies.
When is this conversion used?
Converting between microgram and long ton (UK) is common when working across metric and imperial systems, such as international trade, travel between countries with different measurement standards, or following instructions from a different region.
Worked examples
1 microgram = 9.842065e-13 long ton (UK)
1 long ton (UK) = 1,016.0469088 kilogram
How to convert microgram to long ton (UK)
To convert microgram to long ton (UK), multiply the value by 9.842065e-13.
To convert long ton (UK) back to microgram, multiply by 1.016047e+12.
Measurement standards
The kilogram is defined by fixing the Planck constant to exactly 6.62607015 × 10⁻³⁴ joule-seconds, as established at the 26th General Conference on Weights and Measures in 2018. This ended the last SI definition based on a physical artefact.
Did you know?
The International Prototype of the Kilogram, a platinum-iridium cylinder stored near Paris since 1889, was found to have drifted by about 50 micrograms relative to its copies over a century — roughly the mass of a fingerprint.
Quick reference: microgram to long ton (UK)
| microgram | long ton (UK) |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 9.842065e-14 |
| 0.5 | 4.921033e-13 |
| 1 | 9.842065e-13 |
| 2 | 1.968413e-12 |
| 5 | 4.921033e-12 |
| 10 | 9.842065e-12 |
| 25 | 2.460516e-11 |
| 50 | 4.921033e-11 |
| 100 | 9.842065e-11 |
| 250 | 2.460516e-10 |
| 500 | 4.921033e-10 |
| 1,000 | 9.842065e-10 |
Common values
| microgram | long ton (UK) | |
|---|---|---|
| A paperclip | 999,999,999.99999988 microgram | 0.00098421 long ton (UK) |
| A smartphone | 1.750000e+11 microgram | 0.17223614 long ton (UK) |
| A bag of sugar | 999,999,999.99999988 microgram | 0.00098421 long ton (UK) |
| Average adult human | 7.000000e+10 microgram | 0.06889446 long ton (UK) |
| A small car | 1.200000e+12 microgram | 1.18104783 long ton (UK) |