g to kg
There are 1000 grams (g) in a kilogram (kg). Both grams and kilograms are units of mass/weight in the metric system of measurement. The kilogram is the base unit of the International System of Units, the modern form of the metric system.
Grams to kilograms conversion
The following converter can be used to convert from grams to kilograms or kilograms to grams. Just enter a value in either grams or kilograms to convert between the two.
How to convert grams to kilograms
To convert grams to kilograms, divide by 1000. To convert kilograms to grams, multiply by 1000.
The prefix "kilo-", denoted using the symbol "k" indicates 103 or 1000, so:
1 kg = 1000 g
1 g = 
kg
Examples
1. Convert 712 grams to kilograms:
712 g ÷ 1000 = 0.712 kg
2. Convert 12 kilograms to grams:
12 kg × 1000 = 12000 g
What is a gram
A gram (g) is a unit of measurement of mass in the International System of Units (SI).
Gram definition
Its definition at time of writing is based on the kilogram, which is the base unit of mass in SI. Specifically, the definition of the gram is one thousandth of a kilogram. Originally, the gram definition was based on the absolute weight of pure water in a cubic centimeter at the temperature of melting ice. This has changed over the course of history and may still change in the future.
Uses of grams
The gram is used in many everyday contexts as well as scientific contexts. It tends to be used for smaller measurements of mass such as the mass of an apple, meat at a butcher, camping equipment, medicine dosages, the mass of smaller pets such as guinea pigs, and much more.
What is a kilogram
A kilogram (kg) is a the base unit of measurement of mass in the International System of Units (SI).
Kilogram definition
The definition of a kilogram is based on three fundamental physical constants: the speed of light (c), the atomic transition frequency of cesium (ΔVCs), and the Planck constant (h). Its definition has changed throughout the course of history with the goal of improving the definitions of SI base units. Originally, the kilogram definition was based on the mass of one liter of water at its freezing point. After this, it was defined based on a physical prototype; this is an imperfect measure since the physical prototype degraded over time and lost mass. It was thus redefined based on Planck's constant, which does not change.
History of the kilogram
One interesting thing to note about the kilogram is that it is the only SI base unit that has an SI prefix. The other SI base units are the meter, second, mole, ampere, kelvin, and candela, none of which have an SI prefix. If the kilogram followed the same pattern as these base units, the base unit would instead be the gram rather than the kilogram. This is due to the fact that when the first physical standard of mass was created in 1799, there were no methods for measuring masses as small as a gram.
Uses of kilograms
As the base unit of mass in SI, the kilogram is used widely throughout the world in everyday as well as scientific contexts. Common examples of things measured in kilograms include a person's mass outside of the US, a large bag of rice or potatoes, a car, larger animals, and more. Generally, kilograms are used to measure larger and heavier objects.
Gram to kilogram conversion table
Below is a gram to kilogram conversion table for some values.
| Gram (g) | Kilogram (kg) |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.00001 |
| 0.1 | 0.0001 |
| 1 | 0.001 |
| 2 | 0.002 |
| 3 | 0.003 |
| 5 | 0.005 |
| 10 | 0.01 |
| 20 | 0.02 |
| 50 | 0.05 |
| 100 | 0.1 |
| 1000 | 1 |
Gram vs kilogram
Grams and kilograms are both part of the International System of Units (SI). As part of SI, they use SI prefixes. SI prefixes indicate that a unit is a multiple or fraction of the unit the prefix is attached to. The same prefixes are used to indicate the same fractions or multiples. SI is a base ten system, meaning that prefixes indicate multiples or fractions of powers of 10. The only real difference between grams and kilograms is the magnitude of the measurement. 1 kg = 1000 g. They otherwise measure the same physical property, are part of the same measurement system, and share the same fundamental definition.