Editing Ton (section)

{{short description|Unit of mass or volume with different values}}
{{about|the imperial and United States customary unit of mass|the metric unit|Tonne||Ton (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect-distinguish|A ton|Aton (disambiguation){{!}}Aton}}
{{Infobox unit
| name         = ton
| image        = One-ton weight.svg
| caption      = 
| standard     = {{ubl|[[imperial units|British imperial]]|[[US customary units|US customary]]}}
| quantity     = [[Mass]]
| symbol       = 
| extralabel   = 
| extradata    = 
| units1       = SI derived unit
| inunits1     = {{cvt|2240|lb|sigfig=8|disp=out}} (long ton)
| units2       = SI derived unit
| inunits2     = {{cvt|2000|lb|sigfig=7|disp=out}} (short ton)
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| units6       = 
| inunits6     = 
| units_imp1   = 
| inunits_imp1 = 
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| units_imp6   = 
| inunits_imp6 = 
| units_us1    = 
| inunits_us1  = 
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| units_us6    = 
| inunits_us6  = 
}}

'''Ton''' is any of several [[unit of measurement|units of measure]] of mass, volume or [[Ton-force|force]]. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses.

As a [[unit of mass]], ''ton'' can mean:
* the ''[[long ton]]'', which is {{convert|2,240|lb|kg|sigfig=5|abbr=off|lk=on}}
* the ''[[tonne]]'', also called the ''metric ton'', which is {{convert|1000|kg|lb|sigfig=5|abbr=off|disp=x| (about }}) or 1 [[megagram]].
* the ''[[short ton]]'', which is {{convert|2,000|lb|kg|sigfig=4|abbr=off|lk=off}}

Its original use as a [[unit of volume]] has continued in the capacity of cargo ships and in units such as the ''[[freight ton]]'' and a number of other units, ranging from {{convert|35|to|100|cuft|m3|lk=on}} in size. 

Because the ton (of any system of measuring weight) is usually the heaviest unit named in [[colloquialism|colloquial]] speech, its name also has figurative uses, singular and plural, informally meaning a large amount or quantity, or to a great degree, as in "There's a ton of bees in this hive," "We have tons of homework," and "I love you a ton."