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gram1
/gram/, n.a metric unit of mass or weight equal to 15.432 grains; one thousandth of a kilogram. Abbr.: ggram2/gram/, n.1. (in the East Indies) the chickpea used as a food for people and cattle.2. any of several other beans, as the mung bean, Vigna radiata (green gram or golden gram), or the urd, V. mungo (black gram).[1695-1705; < Pg grão < L granum GRAIN]
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One gram is equal to 0.001 kg, about 0.035 oz, or 15.43 grains. The gram is very nearly equal to the mass of 1 cc of pure water at its maximum density. The gram of force is equal to the weight of a gram of mass under standard gravity. For greater precision, the mass may be weighed at a point at which the acceleration due to gravity is 980.655 cm/sec2. See also gravitation; metric system.* * *
also spelled grammeunit of mass or weight that is used especially in the centimetre-gram-second system of measurement (see the International System of Units). One gram is equal to 0.001 kg. The gram is very nearly equal (it was originally intended to be equal; see metric system) to the mass of one cubic cm of pure water at 4 °C (39.2 °F), the temperature at which water reaches its maximum density under normal terrestrial pressures. The gram of force is equal to the weight of a gram of mass under standard gravity. For greater precision, the mass may be weighed at a point at which the acceleration due to gravity is 980.655 cm/sec2.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
