Ounce to Gram
oz
g
Conversion History
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Quick Reference Table (Ounce to Gram)
| Ounce (oz) | Gram (g) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 14.1747615625 |
| 1 | 28.349523125 |
| 2 | 56.69904625 |
| 4 | 113.3980925 |
| 8 | 226.796185 |
| 16 | 453.59237 |
| 32 | 907.18474 |
About Ounce (oz)
The avoirdupois ounce (oz) is 1/16 of a pound, equal to approximately 28.35 grams. It is the standard unit for food portions, postal weights, and everyday goods in the United States and, to a declining degree, the United Kingdom. The ounce should not be confused with the fluid ounce (a volume unit) or the troy ounce (31.1 g, used for precious metals). In cooking, most American recipes use ounces for dry ingredients; UK recipes have largely switched to grams. Postal systems in the US still price letters by the ounce.
A standard letter envelope weighs about 0.2 oz. A slice of cheese is roughly 1 oz. A baseball weighs 5–5.25 oz.
Etymology: From the Latin "uncia" (one twelfth), the twelfth of a Roman pound. The avoirdupois ounce (1/16 lb) diverged from the troy ounce (used for metals) in medieval England.
About Gram (g)
The gram (g) is the fundamental practical unit of the metric system for everyday weights, defined as one thousandth of the kilogram — itself the SI base unit of mass. The gram is the standard unit for food ingredients, postal weights, and laboratory measurements. It was historically defined as the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at 4°C, a relationship that still holds approximately. The gram is small enough for precision in cooking and chemistry while being a convenient step between the milligram (pharmaceutical) and kilogram (everyday weight) scales.
A standard paperclip weighs about 1 g. A AA battery weighs roughly 23 g. A slice of bread is about 30 g.
Etymology: From the Late Latin "gramma" and Greek "grámma" (small weight), originally a unit used in apothecary measurement. Adopted by the French metric system in 1795.
Ounce – Frequently Asked Questions
How many ounces are in a pound?
There are exactly 16 ounces (oz) in one avoirdupois pound (lb). This is the standard US and UK system for everyday weights. Note that the troy pound (used for precious metals) contains 12 troy ounces — a different and less common system.
What is the difference between an ounce and a fluid ounce?
An ounce (oz) is a unit of weight (mass); a fluid ounce (fl oz) is a unit of volume. For water at room temperature they happen to be close (1 fl oz of water ≈ 1.04 oz by weight), but for other liquids (oil, honey, milk) the values diverge. Recipes that say "8 oz of flour" mean weight; "8 fl oz of milk" mean volume.
What is a troy ounce?
A troy ounce is 31.1035 grams — heavier than the avoirdupois ounce (28.35 g). Troy ounces are used exclusively for precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, palladium). When gold prices are quoted per ounce, they always mean troy ounces.
Why do US recipes use ounces for solids when the rest of the world uses grams?
American home cooking developed around volume measures (cups, tablespoons) and weight in ounces because kitchen scales were uncommon in US households until recently. The rest of the world adopted metric kitchen scales as part of broader metrication. Ounces persist in US recipes partly because American measuring cup sets are ubiquitous and cheap, and partly because US food packaging lists serving sizes in ounces. Professional American bakeries increasingly use grams for precision, but consumer recipes lag behind because publishers fear alienating home cooks who do not own a scale.
Does the UK still use ounces?
Officially the UK moved to metric in the 1970s–1990s, but ounces persist in informal use, especially in older recipes, market stalls, and body weight conversations. UK supermarkets label food in grams and kilograms; loose goods at markets are increasingly metric. The ounce is no longer a legal unit of trade in the UK for pre-packaged goods.
Gram – Frequently Asked Questions
How many grams are in an ounce?
One avoirdupois ounce equals exactly 28.3495 grams. For rough mental arithmetic, 28 g per ounce is commonly used. A 100 g weight is approximately 3.5 oz.
What weighs exactly 1 gram?
A standard US dollar bill weighs almost exactly 1 gram (1.0 g). A paperclip is approximately 1 g. A cubic centimeter of water weighs 1 g at 4°C — the original definition of the gram.
What is the difference between a gram and a gramme?
"Gram" and "gramme" refer to the same unit. "Gramme" is the French-derived spelling used in the UK and Commonwealth countries; "gram" is the US and international standard spelling. Both are correct; "gram" is more common in scientific writing and on nutrition labels worldwide.
How many grams of protein should I eat per day?
The general recommendation for sedentary adults is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 70 kg adult, that is 56 g/day. Athletes and those building muscle are often advised to consume 1.2–2.0 g per kg, or 84–140 g/day for the same 70 kg person.
Why is gold priced per gram but other metals per kilogram?
Gold is dense and extremely valuable relative to its volume — a kilogram of gold is worth tens of thousands of dollars, making grams a more practical transaction unit. Precious metals (gold, silver, platinum) are also traded in troy ounces (31.1 g). Industrial metals like copper or steel are cheap enough that pricing per kilogram or tonne is more practical.