Chilean units of measurement

{{Short description|Units of measurement used in Chile}}

A number of different units of measurement were used in Chile to measure quantities like length, mass, area, capacity, etc. From 1848, the metric system has been compulsory in Chile.{{Cite book|title = International Critical Tables of Numerical Data, Physics, Chemistry and Technology|last = Washburn|first = E.W.|publisher = McGraw-Hil Book Company, Inc|year = 1926|location = New York|pages = 4}}{{Cite book|title = Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures. Their SI Equivalences and Origins.|url = https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediasci00card_043|url-access = limited|last = Cardarelli |first = F.|publisher = Springer|year = 2003|isbn = 978-1-4471-1122-1|location = London|pages = [https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediasci00card_043/page/n153 7]}}

Pre-metric units

Spanish customary units were used before 1848.{{Cite book|title = Weights Measures and Money of All Nations|url = https://archive.org/details/weightsmeasuresm00clarrich|last = Clarke|first = F.W.|publisher = D. Appleton & Company |year = 1891|location = New York|pages = [https://archive.org/details/weightsmeasuresm00clarrich/page/n26 23]}}

=Length=

To measure length several units were used. Legally, one vara is equal to 0.836 m. Some of the units and their legal values as follows:{{Cite book|title = Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures. Their SI Equivalences and Origins.|url = https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediasci00card_043|url-access = limited|last = Cardarelli |first = F.|publisher = Springer|year = 2003|isbn = 978-1-4471-1122-1|location = London|pages = [https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediasci00card_043/page/n858 162], 163}}

  • 1 línea = {{frac|1|432}} vara
  • 1 pulgada = {{frac|1|36}} vara
  • 1 pie = {{frac|1|3}} vara
  • 1 cuadra = 150 vara
  • 1 legua = 5400 vara

=Mass=

Several units were used to measure mass. One libra is equal to 0.460093 kg. Some other units are given below:

  • 1 grano = {{frac|1|9216}} libra
  • 1 adarme = {{frac|1|256}} libra
  • 1 {{lang|es|sastellano}} = {{frac|1|100}} libra
  • 1 onza = {{frac|1|16}} libra
  • 1 arroba = 25 libra
  • 1 quintal = 100 libra

=Capacity=

Mainly two systems, dry and liquid, were used to measure capacity in Chile.

==Dry==

One almud was equal to 8.083 L. 12 almud were equal to one fanega.

==Liquid==

One cuartillo was equal to 1.111 L. 32 cuartillo were equal to one arroba.

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Systems of measurement}}

Category:Culture of Chile

Chile