How to convert kilograms to pounds?
Have you ever wondered how to convert kilograms to pounds? You might find yourself pondering this question over a kitchen counter while in the middle of making a recipe.
While most of the time, cooking involves smaller units like grams or milligrams, the bigger units like kilograms and pounds are needed when working on big projects like baking wedding cakes or making jams.
Also see: How Many Ounces in A Cup, How Many Grams In An Ounce, and How Many Teaspoons In A Tablespoon.
You might have come across recipes that use kilograms and pounds as measuring units alternatively. Although both of these units measure weight, they are not the same.
And contrary to what some believe, kilograms and pounds cannot be used interchangeably as they weigh differently. These units not only differ in their name, but they also differ in terms of the weight they represent as well.
Before we move forward to the question at hand, “How to convert Kilograms to pounds?” let’s have a brief introduction of both of these units and understand how they are different from each other.
What is a Kilogram?
The kilogram is a base unit of mass or weight used in the International System of Units (SI Units) and is abbreviated as “kg.”
The current unit of kg is based on a fixed numeric value of the Planck Constant. The specified value for the Planck Constant roughly equals 6.62607015 × 10-34.
The word kilogram was derived from the French word “kilogramme,” which means thousand in English. One interesting fact about kilogram is that it is the only SI unit that uses its own SI prefix. The definition of the kilogram was revised in 2019, but no changes were made to the weight it measured.
A Brief History of the Kilogram
In the late 18th century, 1 kg equaled the weight of one solid platinum cylinder. Measuring one kg by the mass of the volume of water showed inconsistent and imprecise results, so this measurement method was discarded.
The standard measurement of the kg was revised in 1889 from a solid platinum cylinder to another cylinder made up of platinum-iridium alloy.
In 2011, the standard definition of kg was revised once again. This time, instead of associating its value to an object, the kilogram was declared a fundamental physical constant instead of a physical artifact.
What are the Current Uses of the Kilogram?
The kilogram is used worldwide in most countries, including the UK, with a few exceptions like the United States.
It is used in almost every field, including military, government, science, and industries. In the United States, the kilogram is used in these fields, but the pound is preferred in everyday usage.
What is a Pound?
The pound is another unit to measure mass and weight. It is denoted by “lb” and is used in Imperial and US Customary unit systems. The pound is precisely equal to 0.45359237 kilograms. Today the avoirdupois pound is commonly used.
A Brief History of the Pound
Just like the kilogram, the definition of the pound also changed many times during history. It was finally revised to the avoirdupois pound that is currently in use.
This system was first used during the 13th century and was updated to its current form in 1959. This unit was based on a system that used a standardized physical pound weighing equal to a prototype weight.
One reason for the popularity of this system over other systems is thought to be the fact that the prototype used for the pound could be divided into three even divisions, including 8, 4, and 2. In contrast, the other system is divided into 10, 12, or 15 subdivisions, which is a bit inconvenient.
The original pound was approximately equal to 453 grams and was used in English-speaking countries before the 20th century.
The different values of the pound used during different periods of history were unified in the UK by the Weights and Measurements Act of 1976.
According to this act, the kilogram equals 1045.6223704 avoirdupois pounds. This was declared to be used as the international pound all over the globe, except for the United States and Liberia.
What are the Current Uses of the Pound?
The pound is a popularly used unit in the United States. It is mainly used to measure body weight. As mentioned above, the kilogram is widely used in the UK, but a few variants of the pounds also have applications in different regions of this country.
One of these applications is the labeling of food packaging. However, it is mandatory to display the metric values as well.
Therefore, apart from using pounds to measure body weight, another unit is also used in the UK for this purpose. This unit is called the stone and is made up of 14 pounds.
How to Convert Kilograms to Pounds?
Now, as we have discussed the basics of the kilogram and the pound and their applications, let’s move toward our main question, “how to convert kilograms to pounds?”
Although all regions have pre-defined preferences for using different measuring units, you may stumble upon a recipe book that uses a measuring unit you are unfamiliar with. It will be handy to know the conversion formula for your preferred unit at that time.
If you see a recipe using kilograms to measure the ingredient, here is how you can convert this value of kilogram to pounds.
A kilogram is comprised of about 2.2046226218 pounds. To convert the value of kilograms to pounds, the formula is quite simple. All you need to do is multiply the value of the kilogram by 2.2046226218.
Kilograms to Pounds Conversion Formula
Pounds = Kilograms × 2.2046226218
Example:
If you are looking for how many pounds are there in 2 kilograms, here is how you can calculate this using the formula:
Pounds = Kilograms × 2.2046226218
2 kgs = 2 × 2.2046226218
2 kgs = 4.409 lbs
So, there are 4.409 pounds in 2 kilograms.
Kilograms to Pounds and Ounces Conversion Chart
How to Convert Pounds to Kilograms?
One pound has 0.45359237 kilograms. There are two ways to see how many kilograms are there in a particular value of pounds. Either multiply that value by 0.45359237 or divide it by 2.2046226218.
Pounds to Kilograms Conversion Formula
Kilograms = Pounds × 0.45359237
Or
Kilograms = Pounds ÷ 2.2046226218
Example
For example, if you want to find out how many kilograms are there in 15 pounds, here is how you can do it using the above-mentioned formulas.
Kilograms = Pounds × 0.45359237
Kilograms = 15 × 0.45359237
1 = 6.803
Or
Kilograms = Pounds ÷ 2.2046226218
15 lbs = 15 ÷ 2.2046226218
15 lbs = 6.803 kgs
So, there are 6.803 kilograms in 15 pounds.
Pounds to Kilograms and Grams Conversion Chart
Is 1 kilogram equal to 1 pound?
No. One kilogram is equal to 2.204 pounds.
Why is the pound abbreviated as “lb”?
The abbreviation lb was derived from the Latin word “Libra,” which translates to scale or balance in English. The Libra was used in ancient Rome as a unit of mass.
How many grams in 1 pound?
There are 450 grams in 1 pound.
Is a pound bigger than grams?
Yes, a pound is made of 450 grams.
How many ounces in a pound?
There are 16 ounces in a pound.
Other measurements to check out:
- How Many Cups In A Gallon?
- How Many Liters In A Gallon?
- Celsius To Fahrenheit
- How Many Tablespoons In An Ounce?
- How Many Ounces In A Quart
If you enjoyed this post, How to Convert Kilograms to Pounds, and would love to see more, join me on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter!
Also, get discounted copies of my cookbook here.
Fortunately, because of the ads on our website, readers and subscribers of Healthier Steps are sponsoring many underprivileged families. Thank you!
Interesting content, thanks