What is a paper?

A paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibers derived from wood, rags, grasses, or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through a fine mesh leaving the fibee evenly distributed on the surface, followed by pressing and drying¹. Paper has many uses, such as writing, printing, packaging, decorating, and cleaning¹². Paper is also used for making filter paper, wallpaper, book endpaper, conservation paper, laminated worktops, toilet tissue, currency, and security paper¹.

How much does a sheet of paper weigh?

The weight of a paper depends on the size and thickness of the paper. The thickness of the paper is measured by its grammage, which is the weight per unit of area. The unit for grammage is grams per square meter (g/m²) or gsm³⁴. To find the weight of a paper sheet, you have to multiply its area by its grammage. For example, a sheet of A4 paper that is 75gsm will weigh 4.69 grams (0.165 oz)⁴, while a sheet of A4 paper that is 160gsm will weigh 10 grams (0.35 oz)⁴.

How much does a ream of paper weigh?

Another way to measure the weight of paper is by using basis weight, which is the weight in pounds of a ream, or 500 sheets of paper, at particular basic sheet sizes, which vary depending on the stock type of paper being considered⁵. For example, the basis weight of bond paper is 20 lbs (9.07 kg) for a ream of 500 sheets at 17 x 22 inches each⁵. However, basis weight can be confusing because different types of paper have different basic sheet sizes⁵. Therefore, grammage is more commonly used as a standard measure of paper weight.

Some FAQs about paper

How is paper made?

Paper is made by separating and wetting fibres from wood or other sources in water, filtering them on a woven screen to form a sheet of fibre, pressing and compacting them to squeeze out most of the water, and drying them by evaporation¹².

What are the different types of paper?

There are many types of paper with different properties and uses. Some common types are bond paper (used for writing and printing), coated paper (used for magazines and brochures), cardstock (used for invitations and business cards), tissue paper (used for wrapping and crafts), and newsprint (used for newspapers and flyers)².

How can I recycle paper?

Paper can be recycled by collecting and sorting it according to its type and quality, shredding it into small pieces, mixing it with water and chemicals to remove ink and other contaminants, forming it into new pulp, and making new paper products from it²⁶.

How long does it take for paper to decompose?

The decomposition time of paper depends on various factors. Some of them are – the type of paper, the amount of moisture, oxygen, and sunlight available, and the presence of microorganisms. Generally, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to several years for paper to decompose in landfills or compost piles.

Some fun facts about paper

• The word “paper” comes from the Latin word “papyrus”, which was a plant used to make writing material in ancient Egypt¹.
• The oldest known piece of paper dates back to around 150 BCE in China¹.
• The largest sheet of handmade paper ever made measured 14.95 x 10 meters (49 x 32.8 feet) and was created in India in 2017.
• The most expensive paper in the world is made from elephant dung and costs $500 per sheet.
• The world record for folding a piece of paper in half is 12 times. It was achieved by Britney Gallivan in 2002 using a sheet of toilet paper that was 4000 feet long.

Source:
(1) Paper – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper.
(2) Paper | Definition, Papermaking, & Facts | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/paper.
(3) Basics of Paper Manufacturing | Oklahoma State University. https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/basics-of-paper-manufacturing.html.
(4) Paper Weight Calculator. https://www.omnicalculator.com/everyday-life/paper-weight.
(5) Weight Of A Sheet Of Paper By Paper Size & Grammage. https://www.papersizes.org/weight-of-sheets.htm.
(6) Paper, standard volume to weight. https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/volume-to-weight/substance/Paper-coma-and-blank-standard