User:Milton Beychok/Sandbox: Difference between revisions

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{{see also|U.S. customary units}}
The '''gallon''' (abbreviation: '''gal''') is a non-[[SI]] measurement unit of [[volume]] used in the [[U.S. customary units|U.S. customary]] and the [[Imperial units|Imperial]] systems of measurement. Historically it has had many different definitions but, as of 2010, there are only three definitions in current use.  These are the '''''U.S. liquid gallon''''' and the '''''U.S. dry gallon''''' which are used in the [[United States]] and the '''''Imperial gallon''''' which is in unofficial use within the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Ireland]] and in semi-official use within [[Canada]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/showdoc/cs/W-6/sc:2//en#anchorsc:2|title=Weights and Measures Act: Canadian units of measure|publisher=Department of Justice|accessdate=2007-11-14}}</ref>  The gallon, be it the U.S.  or Imperial gallon, is sometimes used in other [[English language|English]]-speaking countries as well.


==Definitions and divisions==
* The '''''U.S. liquid gallon''''' is equal to 3.785412 [[litre]]s which is equivalent to 231 [[Inch|cubic inches]].<ref name=ASTM> Standard Metric Practice Guide, ASTM E 380-72,June 1972 (corrected June 1973)</ref> It is divided into:
:* 4 quarts (abbreviation: qt) or
:* 8 pints (abbreviation: pt) or
:* 32 gills (abbreviation: gi) or
:* 128 fluid ounces (abbreviation: fl oz)
* The '''''U.S. dry gallon''''' is equal to 4.404884 litres which is equivalent to 268.8025 cubic inches.<ref name=ASTM/> It is divided into:
:* 4 quarts (abbreviation: dry qt)
:* 8 pints (abbreviation: dry pt)
* The '''''Imperial gallon''''' is 20 % larger than the U.S. liquid gallon and is equal to 4.546092 litres which is equivalent to 277.4196 cubic inches.<ref name=ASTM/> It is divided into:
:*4 quarts (liquid or dry) or
:*8 pints (liquid or dry) or
:*32 gills (liquid or dry) or
:*160 fluid ounces (liquid only) which about 4% smaller than the fluid ounces in a U.S. gallon
==Usage==
===Countries using the U.S. liquid gallon===
As of 2005, the U.S. liquid gallon continued to be used as a unit of measure for fuel in [[Colombia]], [[Dominican Republic]], [[Ecuador]], [[El Salvador]], [[Guatemala]], [[Haiti]], [[Honduras]], [[Liberia]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Panama]], [[Peru]], and the [[United States]].<ref name="gas-world">[http://www.international-fuel-prices.com/downloads/FuelPrices2005.pdf International Fuel Prices 2005] See PDF page 96 of 114 PDF pages.</ref>
===Countries using the Imperial gallon===
As of 2000, the Imperial gallon ceased to be a legal unit of measure within the United Kingdom for economic, health, safety or administrative purposes.<ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1995/Uksi_19951804_en_1.htm#end Statutory Instrument 1995 No. 1804, The Units of Measurement Regulations 1995]</ref> However, as noted in the introduction (see above), the Imperial gallon is still in unofficial use within the United Kingdom and Ireland and in semi-official use within Canada.
==References==
{{reflist}}

Revision as of 01:03, 6 June 2010

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