A “ton” can mean a few different but related things, mostly about weight :

  • In the US, a ton (also called a short ton) is 2,000 pounds, which is about 907 kilograms.
  • In the UK historically, a long ton is 2,240 pounds, about 1,016 kilograms.
  • A metric ton (spelled “tonne” in many countries) is exactly 1,000 kilograms, which is about 2,204.6 pounds.

So if someone asks “how much is a ton?” and they don’t specify, they usually mean 2,000 pounds in US contexts, and 1,000 kg (a metric ton/tonne) in most other countries today.