The milligram is a small unit of weight in the metric system, commonly used in scientific and medical fields. The metric system was created in 18th-century Europe to standardize measurements, and the milligram is one thousandth of a gram. The United States still uses the older British system, but metric measurements are commonly used. The gram is too small, so the kilogram is the standard unit. The milligram is used to determine drug dosages, as even a small change in the amount of a drug can alter its effectiveness.
Milligrams are very small measures of solid weight in the international metric system. Specifically, a milligram is one thousandth of a gram; to put it in concrete terms, the common mosquito weighs about 2 milligrams. In imperial (US) measurements, there are more than 28,000 milligrams in a single ounce. Metric units of measurement are used extensively for scientific and medical purposes, even in the United States, which has not adopted the metric system for everyday use. Milligrams are commonly used to calculate drug dosages, as even a small change in the amount of a drug can alter its effectiveness.
The metric system originated in 18th-century Europe, at a time when standards of measurement varied by nation and sometimes by region. Increased international trade and advances in science have made a standard system of measurement essential. In the aftermath of the 18th French Revolution, the new French government proposed and accepted the first form of the metric system. In their desire to supplant old traditions, the French revolutionaries also proposed other new standards, such as an entirely new calendar, but these were not as successful. Ironically, US patriot and scientist Thomas Jefferson had proposed such a system of measurements, but it was rejected by the US Congress.
The metric system operates on basic units such as the gram, meter, and liter. Larger or smaller quantities are calculated with a factor of ten; a centimetre, for example, is a tenth of a decimetre, which in turn is a tenth of a metre. The metric system eventually evolved into the current system, called the International System of Units (SI), in official use by most nations around the world. A famous exception is the United States, which still uses the older British system, now known as the Imperial or US system. Even in the United States, metric measurements are commonly used, appearing, for example, alongside imperial measurements on food packaging.
The gram is such a small amount of weight that the SI has adopted the kilogram as the most useful standard unit. One kilogram equals approximately 2.2 pounds in the imperial system. The milligram, being one millionth of that weight, is clearly too small to be of any use in casual everyday life. In scientific fields, however, such as chemistry, physics, and medicine, the milligram is a common unit of measurement. Only solid objects are weighed in grams or milligrams; the volume of the liquid is calculated using the liter and milliliter.
The most frequent use of milligrams in everyday life is to determine drug dosages. Both prescription and over-the-counter drugs are measured in milligrams, usually listed with the standard abbreviation “mg.” The effect of these chemicals on the body is so profound that determining very small amounts of them is critical to managing the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. With some very potent drugs, for example, the difference between an effective dose and an overdose can be a matter of milligrams.
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