Hundredweight
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Centum weight or hundredweight is a unit of measurement for mass in United States customary units and in the Imperial system in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Commonwealth of Nations.
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[edit] Definition
The definition of the hundredweight differs in the two major systems of English customary units:[citation needed]
- In Imperial units, a hundredweight (long) is defined as 112 pounds avoirdupois, or 8 stone, or four quarters (50.80234544 kg). This is so close to 50 kg that the transition to metric equivalents has been easy.
- In U.S. customary units, a hundredweight (short) is defined as 100 pounds (equivalent to 45.359237 kg). The short hundredweight is also the normal hundredweight in Canada. The short hundredweight is also called a cental, especially in places which normally use the long hundredweight.
In both systems, there are twenty hundredweights to a ton – the long ton of 2240 pounds (approximately equal to a metric tonne of 1,000 kilograms (2,205 lb)), and the short ton of 2000 pounds. In both systems, the hundredweight is abbreviated cwt, where wt is an abbreviation for weight and c is an abbreviation for one hundred (Roman centum).
[edit] History
Before the 15th century in England, a hundredweight used the old hundred of 108 lb, giving a ton of 2160 pounds. In some industries (notably forges) this old hundred was retained somewhat longer. The London hundredweight of 112 pounds eventually replaced the old hundred.[citation needed]
The short hundredweight is commonly used in the sale of livestock and some cereal grains and oilseeds and concrete additives and on futures exchanges. The long hundredweight is now little used in any country; one exception is for measuring the weight of ringable bells used for change ringing.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. "Scope, Conventions, Abbreviations, etc". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. http://www.dove.cccbr.org.uk/doveDesc.php. Retrieved on 15 Dec 2008.
