Chain (unit) - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

# Chain (unit)

### From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A chain is a unit of length. People usually used it for measuring land. There are a number of different chains from 50 to 100 feet long.

When people talk about the chain as a unit they normally mean the unit of the imperial or U.S. system. This is equal to 66 feet or 20.1168 metres. This is also called a Gunter's chain, surveyor's chain or land chain.

In the past people used to use wire chains for measuring land. These chains had 100 links. The links were made of thick wire with a loop at each end. The links were connected to each other by three rings. There were brass handles at each end. People folded the chain up, link by link, and carried it in their hand. The name chain comes from these devices.

## [edit] Gunter's chain

1 chain | = 100 links
| = 66 feet
| = 4 rods
| = 1⁄10 furlong
| = 20.1168 metres
10 square chains | = 1 acre

The chain was also called an acre's breadth. This is because an acre was defined as the area of a rectangle one chain wide and one furlong long.

The unit was once important in everyday life in United Kingdom and its colonies and in the United States. People used it when they made maps and planned out cities and towns.

Farmers in the United States and Canada still use measuring wheels 1⁄10 of a chain around the outside.

It is also the length of the pitch, between the wickets, in cricket.

## [edit] Ramsden's chain

Americans sometimes used a longer chain of 100 feet (30.48 m). This is called the engineer's chain or Ramsden's chain.

## [edit] Hispanic chain

Texans use another chain for measuring Spanish land grants. This chain is called the Hispanic chain or vara chain. It is based on the vara. A vara is the equivalent of one yard in the old Spanish and Portuguese system of measurement.

1 vara chain | =20 varas
| =60 Mexican feet
| =55+5⁄9 English feet
| =16.93 metres

Since in Texas one Mexican foot is defined as 25⁄27 English feet.

## [edit] Other websites

- Math Words
- How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement, Russ Rowlett
- How to make a Gunter's Chain

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Category: Old units of measurement

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