Review for Muggles at Bay/The Protection of the Stag

Muggles at Bay/The Protection of the Stag

(#) Arkenstone007 2009-02-02

There is a slight mistake with the amount of gold as gold is measured in troy ounces in which there are only 12 ounces to the pound not 16. avoirdupois is the actual name for the 16 ounce system.

I have a book of logic/scientific/physics puzzles/brain teasers which as a question labeled "Feathers and Gold I" and later on a 2nd one labeled "... II". Part 1 asks "which is heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of gold? The answer is "a pound of feathers," since gold, sliver, other precious metals, drugs and something else are measured in the troy system which only has 12 (troy) ounces to the (troy) pound, vs. 16 (avoirdupois) ounces in a(avoirdupois) pound of feathers. Since there are only 12 troy ounces to the troy pound, 12 troy ounces are less than 16 avoirdupois ounces even though each troy ounce is heavier, as 16 avoirdupois ounces = 14.58 troy ounces and 14.58 > 12. (see part 2).

In the second question it asks "Which is heavier, an ounce of feathers or an ounce of gold?" The answer is "an ounce of gold"
Because, by definition a troy ounce is heavier as: 1 avoirdupois ounce = 28.35 grams, and a troy ounce = 31.1 grams when converted to metric.

It is supposed to be a trick question of another trick question based on the question of "which is heavier a pound of feathers or a pound of lead? in which the answer is neither, a pound is a pound." (most people say lead is heavier because it is has a higher density).

This is actually true, and you can Google "troy ounce vs ounce" and see for yourself.