How to Convert Milligrams to Stones
To convert a weight measurement from milligrams to stones, divide the weight by the conversion factor. Since one milligram is equal to 1.5747 × 10-7 stones, you can use this formula:
The weight in stones is equal to the milligrams divided by 6.3503 × 106.
Using the formula: stones = milligrams ÷ 6.3503 × 106
stones = 5 mg ÷ 6.3503 × 106 = 7.8737E-7 st
Therefore, 5 milligrams equals 7.8737E-7 stones.
How Many Stones Are in a Milligram?
There are 1.5747 × 10-7 stones in one milligram.
What Is a Milligram?
The milligram (symbol: mg) is a metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth of a gram (10−3 g), or one millionth of a kilogram. The prefix “milli” denotes a factor of 10−3. Milligrams are used extensively in pharmacy, medicine, nutrition, and chemistry. Drug dosages are most commonly specified in milligrams (e.g., “500 mg of acetaminophen,” “10 mg of lisinopril”). Nutritional supplements list their contents in milligrams (e.g., 1,000 mg of vitamin C). On nutrition labels, sodium, cholesterol, vitamins, and minerals are listed in milligrams. The recommended daily intake of sodium for adults is less than 2,300 mg (about 1 teaspoon of salt). Caffeine content in beverages is measured in milligrams: a cup of coffee contains roughly 80–100 mg. In chemistry, milligrams are used for measuring small quantities of reagents, catalysts, and analytes. In environmental science, pollutant concentrations in water are often expressed as milligrams per litre (mg/L), which is equivalent to parts per million (ppm) for dilute aqueous solutions.
One milligram is equal to:
- 0.001 grams (g)
- 10−6 kilograms (kg)
- 0.000035 ounces (oz)
- 0.005 carats (ct)
- 10−9 metric tons (MT)
What Is a Stone?
The stone (symbol: st) is an imperial unit of weight equal to exactly 14 pounds (6.35029318 kilograms). It is primarily used in the United Kingdom and Ireland for expressing human body weight. In the UK, it is common for people to describe their weight in stones and pounds (e.g., “I weigh 11 stone 4 pounds” meaning 11 × 14 + 4 = 158 lb or about 71.7 kg). This usage is deeply embedded in British culture and persists despite the official adoption of the metric system. Historically, the stone varied in weight depending on the commodity being weighed and the region. Stones for wool, cheese, meat, and other goods had different defined weights. The modern stone of 14 pounds was standardised in 1835 by the British Weights and Measures Act. The stone is not commonly used outside the UK and Ireland. In the US, body weight is typically expressed in pounds only, while in most other countries, kilograms are used. However, the stone remains popular in British media, health services, and everyday conversation.
One stone is equal to:
- 14 pounds (lb)
- 224 ounces (oz)
- 6.350293 kilograms (kg)
- 6,350.29 grams (g)
- 0.00635 metric tons (MT)
- 0.00700 tons (t)
- 0.00625 long tons (lt)
- 31,751.5 carats (ct)
Understanding Weight and Mass Units
Weight and mass are related but distinct concepts. Mass is the amount of matter in an object and is constant regardless of location. Weight is the force of gravity acting on that mass and varies with gravitational field strength. In everyday language, “weight” and “mass” are used interchangeably, and the units on this page measure mass.
Weight and mass units have evolved from different historical measurement systems, resulting in a rich variety of units still in use today.
Major Unit Systems
- Metric / SI units: The kilogram (kg) is the SI base unit of mass. Grams (g) and milligrams (mg) are derived using standard prefixes. The metric ton (tonne, 1,000 kg) is used for large masses.
- US customary / Imperial units: The pound (lb) is the primary unit, with 16 ounces per pound. The US short ton (2,000 lb) and the imperial long ton (2,240 lb) are used for large masses. The stone (14 lb) is used in the UK for body weight.
- Specialised units: The carat (0.2 g) is used for gemstones. The Calorie (kcal) is used as a proxy for weight change based on the 3,500 kcal per pound approximation.
Key Conversion Relationships
- 1 pound (lb) = 453.59237 grams (exact by international agreement)
- 1 kilogram (kg) = 2.204623 pounds
- 1 ounce (oz) = 28.349523 grams = 1/16 pound
- 1 stone (st) = 14 pounds = 6.350293 kg
- 1 US ton (t) = 2,000 pounds = 907.185 kg
- 1 long ton (lt) = 2,240 pounds = 1,016.047 kg
- 1 metric ton (MT) = 1,000 kg = 2,204.623 pounds
- 1 carat (ct) = 0.2 grams = 200 milligrams (exact)
Tips for Weight Conversions
- The most important conversion to remember: 1 kg ≈ 2.2 lb. Multiply kilograms by 2.2 for a quick pounds estimate, or divide pounds by 2.2 for kilograms.
- For ounces to grams: 1 oz ≈ 28.35 g. Multiply ounces by 28 for a rough gram estimate.
- UK body weight in stones: divide pounds by 14. For example, 154 lb = 11 stone.
- Don’t confuse the three types of “ton”: US short ton = 2,000 lb, metric ton = 2,204.6 lb, long (imperial) ton = 2,240 lb.
- The metric ton is about 10% heavier than the US short ton. When reading international commodity prices, check which ton is being used.
- For gemstones: 1 carat = 0.2 grams exactly, so 5 carats = 1 gram. A 1-carat diamond is about the size of a pencil eraser top.
- Don’t confuse avoirdupois ounces (28.35 g, for general weighing) with troy ounces (31.10 g, for precious metals) or fluid ounces (a volume measure).
- The Calorie-to-weight conversion (3,500 kcal per pound) is a nutritional approximation, not a physical constant. It is useful for rough weight-loss estimates but not for precise calculations.
Milligrams to Stones Conversion Table
The following table shows conversions from milligrams to stones.
| Milligrams | Stones (st) |
|---|---|
| 1.0000E+6 mg | 0.157473 |
| 2.0000E+6 mg | 0.314946 |
| 3.0000E+6 mg | 0.472419 |
| 4.0000E+6 mg | 0.629892 |
| 5.0000E+6 mg | 0.787365 |
| 6.0000E+6 mg | 0.944838 |
| 7.0000E+6 mg | 1.10231 |
| 8.0000E+6 mg | 1.25978 |
| 9.0000E+6 mg | 1.41726 |
| 1.0000E+7 mg | 1.57473 |
| 2.0000E+7 mg | 3.14946 |
| 3.0000E+7 mg | 4.72419 |
| 4.0000E+7 mg | 6.29892 |
| 5.0000E+7 mg | 7.87365 |
| 6.0000E+7 mg | 9.44838 |
| 7.0000E+7 mg | 11.0231 |
| 8.0000E+7 mg | 12.5978 |
| 9.0000E+7 mg | 14.1726 |
| 1.0000E+8 mg | 15.7473 |
| 2.0000E+8 mg | 31.4946 |
| 3.0000E+8 mg | 47.2419 |
| 4.0000E+8 mg | 62.9892 |
| 5.0000E+8 mg | 78.7365 |
| 6.0000E+8 mg | 94.4838 |
| 7.0000E+8 mg | 110.231 |
| 8.0000E+8 mg | 125.978 |
| 9.0000E+8 mg | 141.726 |
| 1.0000E+9 mg | 157.473 |