One pound is 453.59 grams. NIST lists the avoirdupois pound as 0.4535924 kg, so pounds × 453.59 gives grams, and grams ÷ 453.59 gives pounds. For example, 2 lb is 907.18 g and 500 g is 1.10 lb. Half a pound is 226.8 g and a quarter pound is 113.4 g.
How many grams are in a pound?
The pound is defined in metric terms: NIST's conversion table (SP 811, Appendix B.8) gives 1 lb = 0.4535924 kg, or 453.5924 g. The gram is 1/1,000 of a kilogram. A pound is also 16 ounces, which is why 453.59 ÷ 16 = 28.35 g per ounce, the figure in how many grams in an ounce.
Formulas
grams = pounds × 453.59
pounds = grams ÷ 453.59
kilograms = pounds × 0.4536
pounds = kilograms × 2.2046
The converters pounds to grams and grams to pounds take any value, and the kg to lbs calculator covers kilograms.
Pounds to grams chart
| Pounds | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1/4 lb (4 oz) | 113.4 |
| 1/2 lb (8 oz) | 226.8 |
| 3/4 lb (12 oz) | 340.2 |
| 1 lb | 453.6 |
| 2 lb | 907.2 |
| 5 lb | 2,268.0 |
| 10 lb | 4,535.9 |
| 25 lb | 11,339.8 |
| 50 lb | 22,679.6 |
| 100 lb | 45,359.2 |
Grams to pounds chart
| Grams | Pounds | Pounds and ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 0.220 | 3.53 oz |
| 200 g | 0.441 | 7.05 oz |
| 250 g | 0.551 | 8.82 oz |
| 500 g | 1.102 | 1 lb 1.64 oz |
| 750 g | 1.653 | 1 lb 10.46 oz |
| 1,000 g | 2.205 | 2 lb 3.27 oz |
| 2,000 g | 4.409 | 4 lb 6.55 oz |
Worked examples
Example 1: a recipe from pounds to grams
A recipe calls for 1.5 lb of potatoes. 1.5 × 453.59237 = 680.4 g. A 750 g bag from a metric store is 750 ÷ 453.59237 = 1.65 lb, so it covers the recipe with 69.6 g to spare.
Example 2: how much is a kilogram?
A 1 kg bag of flour is 1,000 ÷ 453.59237 = 2.205 lb, which is 2 lb plus 0.2046 × 16 = 3.27 oz. Two pounds of flour is 907 g, about 93 g short of a kilogram.
Example 3: body weight
A person weighing 150 lb has a mass of 150 × 0.45359237 = 68.04 kg. A weight of 80 kg is 80 × 2.2046226 = 176.4 lb. The kg to lbs calculator does this in either direction.
Example 4: how much does rounding matter?
Using 454 g per pound gives 100.09% of the true value, an error of 0.09%. Using 450 g gives 99.2%, so 10 lb comes out as 4,500 g instead of 4,535.9 g, a 35.9 g shortfall. Rounding to 450 is fine for rough work, not for baking or postal weights.
Example 5: a weight against a nutrition label
US nutrition labels state that 1 oz in weight means 28 g (21 CFR 101.9(b)(5)(viii)). A pound would be 16 × 28 = 448 g on that rule, 5.6 g lower than the true 453.6 g. Labels round for readability; a scale does not.
Why does the pound have two gram figures online?
Some pages say 453.59 g and some say 454 g. The first is the NIST-based value and the second is a rounded one. Neither is wrong for everyday use, but the rounded value is 0.4 g high. The metric figure 453.59 g is for the everyday (avoirdupois) pound; precious metals use troy weights, covered under troy ounce.
Quick ways to remember
- 1 lb is about 454 g, and 1 kg is about 2.2 lb.
- A half pound is about 227 g and a quarter pound about 113 g.
- Divide kilograms by 0.4536 or multiply by 2.2 for a quick pound estimate.
- For the ounce and cup side, see ounces in a pound and cups to grams; the metric vs imperial guide puts the systems side by side.