What Household Item Weighs 1 Gram?
Common household items that weigh approximately one gram include a paperclip, the cap of a ballpoint pen, a stick of gum, a U.S. currency bill, a quarter teaspoon of sugar, a raisin and a thumbtack. The gram is a metric measurement of mass that is equal to one one-thousandth of a kilogram, and the term “gram” is derived from the Late Latin word “gramma,” meaning “small weight.”
Other items that weigh 1 gram include a pinch of salt, one-fifth of a piece of paper and one Japanese yen coin. The gram, originally the base unit of the French metric system, is roughly equal to the mass of 1 cubic centimeter of pure water at 4 degrees Celsius and was originally measured by this standard. Later, the gram was calculated against the physical prototype maintained by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. It is a single unit in the larger International System of Units, the modern form of the metric system.
Grams are used as standard measurements for solid and semisolid cooking ingredients, and nutrition fact labels on most food measure the nutritional content in grams. In cooking, the gram is approximately equal to 0.035 ounces, 0.002 pounds or 0.004 cups.
