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What is a ounce?

Used in US and UK cooking recipes and precious-metal trade (troy ounce)

Definition

The ounce equals 28.35 grams and is 1/16 of a pound. It is common in American and British cooking for small ingredient weights. The fluid ounce (29.57 ml in the US, 28.41 ml in the UK) is a volume unit and is completely different from the mass ounce.

Common uses

  • American and British cooking recipes
  • Food packaging in the US
  • Precious metals (troy ounce = 31.10 g, different from avoirdupois)

🌍 Real-world scale

A US tin of tuna is 5 oz (142 g). A Starbucks grande coffee is 16 fl oz (473 ml). Gold is traded in troy ounces (31.10 g).

Convert from ounces

11 conversions
Ounce to Kilogram1 oz = 0.02835 kgOunce to Gram1 oz = 28.3495 gOunce to Milligram1 oz = 28,349.52 mgOunce to Microgram1 oz = 28,349,523.13 µgOunce to Pound1 oz = 0.0625 lbOunce to Metric Ton1 oz = 2.8350e-5 tOunce to US Ton1 oz = 3.1250e-5 ton (US)Ounce to UK Ton1 oz = 2.7902e-5 ton (UK)Ounce to Stone1 oz = 0.004464 stOunce to Carat1 oz = 141.748 ctOunce to Grain1 oz = 437.5 gr

Convert to ounces

11 conversions
Kilogram to Ounce1 kg = 35.274 ozGram to Ounce1 g = 0.03527 ozMilligram to Ounce1 mg = 3.5274e-5 ozMicrogram to Ounce1 µg = 3.5274e-8 ozPound to Ounce1 lb = 16 ozMetric Ton to Ounce1 t = 35,273.96 ozUS Ton to Ounce1 ton (US) = 32,000 ozUK Ton to Ounce1 ton (UK) = 35,840 ozStone to Ounce1 st = 224 ozCarat to Ounce1 ct = 0.007055 ozGrain to Ounce1 gr = 0.002286 oz

Tips

  • 1 oz = 28.35 g exactly (avoirdupois); 1 troy oz = 31.10 g.
  • 16 oz = 1 lb in the avoirdupois system used for food.
  • When converting a US recipe, 1 oz ≈ 2 tablespoons of a liquid ingredient.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing mass ounces (28.35 g) with fluid ounces (volume).
  • Using avoirdupois ounces (28.35 g) for precious-metal pricing — gold is in troy ounces (31.10 g).
  • Multiplying lb × 16 and calling the result oz — correct only for weight, not volume.

FAQ about the ounce

What is a ounce?
The ounce equals 28.35 grams and is 1/16 of a pound. It is common in American and British cooking for small ingredient weights. The fluid ounce (29.57 ml in the US, 28.41 ml in the UK) is a volume unit and is completely different from the mass ounce.
Where is the ounce used?
The ounce is commonly used for: American and British cooking recipes; Food packaging in the US; Precious metals (troy ounce = 31.10 g, different from avoirdupois).
What is an example of a ounce in real life?
A US tin of tuna is 5 oz (142 g). A Starbucks grande coffee is 16 fl oz (473 ml). Gold is traded in troy ounces (31.10 g).
What category does the ounce belong to?
The ounce is a unit of weight, part of the 12-unit weight category on UnitConv.
How accurate are ounce conversions?
All conversion factors follow NIST and BIPM international standards to 8 significant figures — the highest practical accuracy.
Explore all 12 weight units and their conversions.⚖️ Weight hub →