How much weight is a ton?

A U.S. ton is equal to 2,000 pounds, which is also called the short ton. A British ton is equal to 2,240 pounds, and it is also known as the long ton. A metric ton is equal to about 2,204 pounds, closer to the British ton than the American ton.

Both types of tons are the equivalent of 20 hundredweights. However, how many pounds are in a hundredweight is defined differently in the United States than it is in the United Kingdom. In the United States, 100 pounds are in a hundredweight, while in the United Kingdom, 112 pounds are in a hundredweight.