Fifteen grams, which is equal to just over half an ounce, is a very small measurement. Because it’s so small, getting a grasp of what 15 grams means can be difficult.
If you think about a few household items that weigh about this much, though, you can get a better feel for just how light 15 grams is.
Three Nickels
Coins are always a great option for measuring weights, as they must all weigh the same amount when minted. This also makes them an accurate choice for calibrating a scale.
A U.S. nickel weighs exactly 5 grams, so you only need three nickels to add up to 15 grams.
Pennies are another good way to estimate how much 15 grams is. Each U.S. penny weighs 2.5 grams, so six pennies equal 15 grams.
A Large Sharpie Marker
Sharpie markers are sold in a few sizes, so you can choose the permanent marker that suits your needs.
Some Sharpies are quite thick and have a wide tip with a chiseled edge, which makes them perfect for marking boxes for storage or moving or for making signs that can be seen from the road.
One of these extra-large Sharpies weighs right around, if not exactly, 15 grams.
Most Sharpie markers do fluctuate a bit in weight. You may also find that the marker weighs less after you’ve used it for a while, as it will have less ink in it.
A Tablespoon of Butter
Most people can visualize a tablespoon of butter, as this amount is close to the size of a butter pat that you might spread on one or two pieces of toast.
One tablespoon of butter weighs just over 14 grams, so it’s a good way to estimate the size of 15 grams.
Some butter varieties will weigh a slightly different amount than others, depending on their exact ingredients and how they’re made.
A tablespoon of cold butter will also weigh slightly more than warm butter, as it will be more condensed.
A CD
CDs, or compact discs, aren’t as common as they once were, but most people have used a CD for playing music, watching a movie, or playing a game.
Many people still have a few CDs around their homes. Although most CDs are uniform in size and shape, they can vary slightly in weight. Many CDs, however, weigh right around 14 or 15 grams.
If you can imagine the feel of a CD, without its case, in your hand, you can imagine 15 grams.
Three Pieces of Paper
Because it’s so thin, paper is very light. What a single sheet of paper weighs depends on how it was made, how thick it is, and how large the sheet is.
However, a sheet of thin office or copy paper in an A4 size usually weighs about 5 grams. An A4 piece of paper is the standard 8.5 by 11-inch size.
If you piled three of these sheets together, therefore, you would have just about, if not exactly, 15 grams.
An Empty Soda Can
An empty aluminum soda can is surprisingly light and only weighs about 15 grams. Almost everyone has held an empty can, so this is a great way to estimate what 15 grams feels like.
If you do use this estimate, however, remember to only think of a standard soda can. Tall cans, such as cans that sometimes hold energy drinks, beer, and water, will weigh a bit more.
These cans might also be a bit thicker.
Seven Bottle Caps
A metal bottle cap, like one you might find on a beer bottle or glass soda bottle, weighs about 2.22 grams.
If you pile up seven of these little caps, you’ll achieve a weight that’s only slightly more than 15 grams.
Remember that different bottle caps from various manufacturers might weigh a little bit more or less than 2.22 grams.
Three Grapes
Grapes can be found in many varieties, and these varieties can be of different sizes or have different moisture contents. Some grapes have thicker skins, while others have pits or seeds.
On average, though, a common seedless grape weighs about 5 grams, so you would only need three grapes to add up to about 15 grams.
Some grapes, however, can weigh as much as 7 grams each, so you would only need two of these large grapes to equal around 15 grams.
Fresh grapes that are full of juice will weigh a bit more than grapes that have started to wrinkle.
15 Paper Clips
Like coins, paper clips are a fantastic way to estimate weights or calibrate scales easily.
Standard paper clips usually weigh almost exactly 1 gram each, which means that simply counting out 15 paper clips will give you 15 grams.
Large paper clips can weigh between 1.5 and 2 grams each.