Measurement is the fundamental process in technology and science. There are many systems of measurement across the world. There is the Imperial system, the SI system, and many others. The imperial system is in use in the UK and other Commonwealth countries. Weight is an important unit under this system. However, the pound and lbs have a very small difference between them.
Lbs vs Pounds
The main difference between lbs and pounds is that lbs is an abbreviation derived from the Roman word libra for pound, whereas pound is a unit of measurement of mass derived from the Latin word pondus.
lbs or lb is an abbreviation for pound. It is of Roman origin, and has descended from the word libra. Libra means balance.
Pound is a unit of mass employed in the Imperial system of measurement. It is also used in countries such as the United States. It is of Latin origin, and has descended from the word pondus. Pondus means weight.
Comparison Table Between Lbs and Pounds (in Tabular Form)
| Parameter Of Comparison | lbs | Pounds |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | It is an abbreviation for the pound for mass. | It is an actual unit of measurement of mass adopted by the UK, the USA, and some other European countries. |
| Origin | The roman word libra. | The Latin word pondus. |
| Inception | It was first introduced in ancient Rome. | It was first introduced in c.1300 in Britain. |
| Equivalence | Initially equivalent to 328.9 grams. | Equivalent to 453.592 grams. |
| Ounce Division | Divided into 12 ounces. | Divided into 16 ounces. |
What is Lbs?
lbs or lb is an abbreviation for the pound-mass. It is widely used in the UK and other Commonwealth countries. It has also been accepted in the US recently. It is of Roman origin. It has been derived from the word libra, meaning balance.
The lb is equivalent to 328.9 grams in the modern system. It is also equivalent to 5076 grains. It was originally divided into twelve ounces. There are many uncial divisions of lbs. These are the uncia, sextans, triens, and others.
The uncia is equivalent to 27.4 grams in the metric system, and is estimated as 1/12th of a libra. The triens is equivalent to 109.6 grams in the metric system, and is estimated as 1/3rd of a libra. There are also many sub-uncial divisions of lbs.
What are Pounds?
The pound is the unit of measurement of mass. It is used in the UK, the USA, and some other European countries. It is represented by the abbreviation lb or lbs. Although the word has no single origin, it is believed to have originated from the Latin word pondus. Pondus means weight.
The international avoirdupois pound is the universally agreed convention for the pound. It was adopted in the UK in the year 1963, after the agreement in the General Conference on Weights and Measures. The avoirdupois pound is equivalent to sixteen ounces. Also, it equals 453.592 grams in the metric system. It was also known as the wool pound when it was initially used in c. 1300.
In the Imperial era and beyond, there have been many types of pounds. These are avoirdupois, tower, merchant, troy, and London pound. However, the troy pound is not used anymore. It was first materialized in England.
- The troy pound is equivalent to 5760 troy grains, and 373 metric grams.
- The tower pound is equivalent to 5400 troy grains, and 350 metric grams.
- The merchant pound is equivalent to 6750 troy grains, and 437 metric grams.
- The London pound is equivalent to 7200 troy grains, and 467 metric grams.
Also, the pound sterling is the official currency of many countries. Its use is prevalent in the United Kingdom, Saint Helena’s, and other countries. It has the abbreviation quid.
Main Differences Between Lbs and Pounds
The pound is a unit of measurement for not only mass, but force as well. It is represented by the abbreviation lbs.
The main differences between lbs and pound are :
- The lbs is an abbreviation for the pound-mass, whereas the pound is the unit of measurement of mass.
- The origin of lbs is the Roman word libra which means balance, whereas the origin of the pound is the Latin word pondus which means weight.
- The lbs originated in the ancient Rome, whereas the pound originated somewhere around Britain in c. 1300.
- The lbs is equal to 328.9 metric grams. On the other hand, the avoirdupois pound is equal to 453.592 metric grams.
- The libra is divided into twelve ounces, whereas the International avoirdupois pound is divided into sixteen ounces.
Conclusion
The measurement systems such as the SI have been adopted for uniformity. SI stands for System International. These systems define the standards for measuring fundamental units. There are yet other systems of measurement. These are the MKS system, CGS system, Imperial system, and others. Each of these systems adopts different base units for measurement.
The MKS system has meter for length, kilogram for mass, and second for time as the fundamental units. The CGS system has centimeter for length, gram for mass, and second for time as the fundamental units.
The imperial system of measurement is responsible for giving us the pound. The pound is the measure of mass as well as force, although the definitions differ. However, the lbs is a Roman term that makes the pound concise by serving as an alternative. It stands for libra, which means balance.
The different systems of measurement differ by a small margin. This margin may be a few grams.
The CGPM of France has made it possible to universalize these varying definitions. It is an inter-governmental organization established in 1875. It has about 50 countries as its members. Its function is to trace the latest advances in the technological and scientific world, and redefine the standards according to these changes.
References
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1399-6576.1988.tb02689.x
- https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/8198262