Convert Slug (slug) to Scruple (Apothecary) (s.ap) instantly.
About these units
Slug (slug)
The slug is a unit of mass in the English engineering system, defined such that a slug accelerated at 1 ft/s² experiences a force of 1 pound-force. Numerically, a slug is about 14.5939 kilograms. The slug resolves confusion between mass and force in imperial units by clearly separating pounds-force (lbf) from pounds-mass (lb). In dynamics problems involving Newton's laws, slugs provide a consistent mass measurement within the imperial framework. Although uncommon outside engineering physics education, the slug plays an important conceptual role in bridging imperial and SI thinking.
Scruple (Apothecary) (s.ap)
The scruple is an old apothecary unit equal to 20 grains or 1.2959782 grams, originating in ancient Greek and Roman medicine. Apothecaries used scruples for compounding herbal remedies, powders, and tinctures long before standardized metric systems were adopted. Its size made it ideal for preparing early pharmaceuticals where doses needed to be accurate but not excessively granular. Over centuries, the scruple appeared in medical recipes, early scientific writings, and even medieval charms and remedies. Although obsolete today, replaced by milligrams and grams, the scruple is vital for historians studying early medical texts, pharmacy records, and classical-era scientific practices.