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The gallon is a unit of measurement for volume and fluid capacity in both the US customary units and the British imperial systems of measurement. Three significantly different sizes are in current use:
The imperial system of units, imperial system or imperial units is the system of units first defined in the British Weights and Measures Act 1824 and continued to be developed through a series of Weights and Measures Acts and amendments. The imperial units replaced the Winchester Standards, which were in effect from 1588 to 1825. The system came into official use across the British Empire in 1826. By the late 20th century, most nations of the former empire had officially adopted the metric system as their main system of measurement, but imperial units are still used in the United Kingdom and some other countries formerly part of the British Empire. The imperial system developed from what were first known as English units, as did the related system of United States customary units.
United States customary units are a system of measurements commonly used in the United States since it was formalized in 1832. The United States customary system developed from English units which were in use in the British Empire before the U.S. became an independent country. The United Kingdom's system of measures was overhauled in 1824 to create the imperial system, which was officially adopted in 1826, changing the definitions of some of its units. Subsequently, while many U.S. units are essentially similar to their imperial counterparts, there are significant differences between the systems.
In recipes, quantities of ingredients may be specified by mass, by volume, or by count.
The pint is a unit of volume or capacity in both the imperial and United States customary measurement systems. In both of those systems it is traditionally one eighth of a gallon. The British imperial pint is about 20% larger than the American pint because the two systems are defined differently. Almost all other countries have standardized on the metric system, so the size of what may be called a pint varies depending on local custom.
The quart is an English unit of volume equal to a quarter gallon. Three kinds of quarts are currently used: the liquid quart and dry quart of the US customary system and the imperial quart of the British imperial system. All are roughly equal to one liter. It is divided into two pints or four cups. Historically, the exact size of the quart has varied with the different values of gallons over time and in reference to different commodities.
A fluid ounce is a unit of volume typically used for measuring liquids. Various definitions have been used throughout history, but only two are still in common use: the British Imperial and the United States customary fluid ounce.
English units are the units of measurement used in England up to 1826, which evolved as a combination of the Anglo-Saxon and Roman systems of units. Various standards have applied to English units at different times, in different places, and for different applications.
The obsolete units of measurement of German-speaking countries consist of a variety of units, with varying local standard definitions. Some of these units are still used in everyday speech and even in stores and on street markets as shorthand for similar amounts in the metric system. For example, some customers ask for one pound of something when they want 500 grams.
The cup is a cooking measure of volume, commonly associated with cooking and serving sizes. It is traditionally equal to one-half US pint (236.6 ml), or an amount between 200 ml and 250 ml in the metric system, which may vary due to location. Because actual drinking cups may differ greatly from the size of this unit, standard measuring cups are usually used instead.
Scottish or Scots units of measurement are the weights and measures peculiar to Scotland which were nominally replaced by English units in 1685 but continued to be used in unofficial contexts until at least the late 18th century. The system was based on the ell (length), stone (mass), and boll and firlot (volume). This official system coexisted with local variants, especially for the measurement of land area.
The gill or teacup is a unit of measurement for volume equal to a quarter of a pint. It is no longer in common use, except in regard to the volume of alcoholic spirits measures.
Both the British Imperial and United States customary systems of measurement derive from earlier English systems used in the Middle Ages, that were the result of a combination of the local Anglo-Saxon units inherited from Germanic tribes and Roman units brought by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
Alcohol measurements are units of measurement for determining amounts of beverage alcohol.
The chopin was a Scottish measurement of volume, usually for fluids, that was in use from at least 1661, though possibly 15th century, until the mid 19th century. The measurement was derived from the French measure chopine an old and widespread unit of liquid capacity, first recorded in the 13th century. A chopin is equivalent to 0.848 litres.
The joug or scottish pint was a Scottish unit of liquid volume measurement that was in use from at least 1661 – possibly as early as the 15th century – until the early 19th century, approximately equivalent to 1696 mL or roughly three imperial pints. Bakers used the measure until the late 19th century.
The Scots gallon was a unit of unit of liquid volume measurement that was in use in Scotland from at least 1661 – and possibly as early as the 15th century – until the late 19th century, approximately equivalent to 13.568 litres, or very roughly three times larger than the Imperial gallon that was adopted in 1824. A Scots gallon could be subdivided into eight Jougs, or into sixteen chopins.
The firlot was a dry measure used in Scotland. For centuries it was the primary measure for all grains sold in the country. In the Scottish system a firlot was equal to 4 pecks, and the boll was equal to 4 firlots.
Capacities of brewery casks were formerly measured and standardised according to a specific system of English units. The system was originally based on the ale gallon of 282 cubic inches. In United Kingdom and its colonies, with the adoption of the imperial system in 1824, the units were redefined in terms of the slightly smaller imperial gallon. The older units continued in use in the United States.
A number of units of measurement were used in South Africa to measure quantities like length, mass, capacity, etc. The Imperial system of measurements was made standard in 1922 and the metric system was adopted in 1970.
References
- ↑ Alexander Huntar (1624). A treatise, of vveights, mets and measures of Scotland. With their quantities, and true foundation, and sundrie profitable observations, arising vpon everie one of them. Together with the art of metting, measuring & computing all sort of land with diverse tables. ISBN 90-221-0671-3.
- ↑
- The Concise Scots Dictionary. Aberdeen University Press. 1985. ISBN 0-08-028491-4.
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