miligram

The milligram (symbol mg) is a unit of mass in the metric system, equal to one thousandth of a gram. In SI terms, 1 mg = 10^-3 g = 10^-6 kg.

It is widely used to measure small masses in science and everyday life. It is common in medicine and pharmacology for dosages, in nutrition labeling for vitamins and minerals, and in chemical preparations. 1 g equals 1000 mg, and 1 mg equals 1000 micrograms (µg).

Measuring small masses with high precision requires sensitive equipment, such as analytical balances or precision scales capable of reading down to tenths of a milligram. In clinical dosing, mg is often paired with body weight as mg/kg.

Common examples include aspirin tablets around 325 mg, acetaminophen 500 mg, and many vitamin supplements listed in mg.