Force Unit Converter

Convert between all force units instantly. Our comprehensive force converter handles newtons, pounds-force, kilonewtons, dynes, and all common force measurements for physics, engineering, structural design, and mechanics.

Quick Force Conversions

Most Popular Force Conversions

• Newtons to Pounds-force → - Physics to imperial
• Pounds-force to Newtons → - Imperial to SI
• Kilonewtons to Newtons → - Engineering scales
• Kilogram-force to Newtons → - Old metric units
• Kips to Pounds-force → - Structural engineering

By Application

Physics & Science:

• Newtons to Dynes → - SI to CGS units
• Dynes to Newtons → - Small force measurements

Engineering:

• Kilonewtons to Pounds-force → - Structural loads
• Meganewtons to Kilonewtons → - Large structures

US/Imperial:

• Pounds-force to Kilogram-force → - Unit systems
• Kips to Kilonewtons → - US to metric

Understanding Force Units

What is Force?

Force is any interaction that changes the motion of an object. It's measured as mass × acceleration.

Newton's Second Law: F = ma (Force = mass × acceleration)

Key Concept: 1 newton is the force needed to accelerate 1 kilogram at 1 meter per second squared.

Common Force Units Explained

Newton (N)

SI unit of force. Named after Isaac Newton.

Definition: 1 N = 1 kg⋅m/s²

Common Forces:

• Apple falling: ~1 N
• Strong handshake: 50-100 N
• Car braking: 5,000-10,000 N
• Rocket thrust: millions of N

Convert Newtons →

Pound-force (lbf)

Imperial/US unit. Force exerted by one pound mass in Earth's gravity.

Definition: 1 lbf ≈ 4.448 N

Common Uses:

• Weight measurements (US)
• Bolt torque specifications
• Aircraft thrust ratings
• Structural design (US)

Convert Pounds-force →

Kilonewton (kN)

1,000 newtons. Common in structural engineering.

Uses:

• Building loads
• Bridge capacity
• Foundation design
• Crane ratings

Example: A small car weighs ~15 kN

Convert Kilonewtons →

Kilogram-force (kgf)

Old metric unit. Force from 1 kg mass in standard gravity.

Definition: 1 kgf = 9.80665 N

Legacy Uses:

• Older engineering specifications
• Some European standards
• Automotive torque (still common in some regions)

Convert Kilogram-force →

Dyne (dyn)

CGS unit. Very small force unit.

Definition: 1 dyne = 10⁻⁵ N = 0.00001 N

Uses:

• Surface tension measurements
• Very small forces in physics
• Historical scientific papers

Convert Dynes →

Kip

US engineering unit. 1 kip = 1,000 pounds-force.

Definition: 1 kip = 4,448.22 N ≈ 4.448 kN

Uses:

• Structural engineering (US)
• Building codes
• Load calculations
• Foundation design

Example: Typical office floor load: 50 psf = 0.05 kip/ft²

Real-World Force Examples

Everyday Forces

Object/Action	Force (N)	Force (lbf)
Lifting apple	1 N	0.22 lbf
Computer mouse click	2-5 N	0.4-1.1 lbf
Opening door	10-20 N	2-4 lbf
Strong handshake	100 N	22 lbf
Person's weight (70kg)	686 N	154 lbf
Small car weight	15 kN	3,370 lbf
Truck weight	100 kN	22,480 lbf

Engineering Forces

Structural Loads:

• Office floor: 2.4 kPa (50 psf) live load
• Residential floor: 1.9 kPa (40 psf)
• Wind on building: 1-3 kPa
• Snow load: varies 0.5-5 kPa

Vehicle Forces:

• Bicycle braking: 200-400 N
• Car braking: 5-10 kN
• Truck braking: 20-50 kN
• Car crash impact: 100-500 kN

Aircraft:

• Small prop plane: 500-2,000 N thrust
• Jet fighter: 100-200 kN
• Commercial jet (Boeing 747): 1,000 kN total
• Rocket (Saturn V): 35,000 kN

Force Conversion Formulas

Newtons ↔ Pounds-force

Newtons to Pounds-force:

• lbf = N × 0.224809
• Example: 100 N = 22.48 lbf

Pounds-force to Newtons:

• N = lbf × 4.448222
• Example: 50 lbf = 222.4 N

Newtons ↔ Kilogram-force

Newtons to Kilogram-force:

• kgf = N ÷ 9.80665
• Example: 100 N = 10.197 kgf

Kilogram-force to Newtons:

• N = kgf × 9.80665
• Example: 10 kgf = 98.07 N

Engineering Conversions

Kips to kN:

• kN = kips × 4.448222
• Example: 10 kips = 44.48 kN

Kips to lbf:

• lbf = kips × 1000
• Example: 5 kips = 5,000 lbf

Common Conversion Mistakes

❌ Mistake #1: Confusing Force and Mass

Wrong: "The object weighs 10 newtons"

Correct:

• Mass: 10 kilograms (kg)
• Weight (force): 98.1 newtons (N)
• Weight = mass × gravity

❌ Mistake #2: Using kgf Instead of N

Problem: Kilogram-force is deprecated in SI units.

Correct: Always use newtons (N) for force in modern engineering.

❌ Mistake #3: Forgetting Gravity in Conversions

Wrong: 1 kg = 1 N ❌

Correct: 1 kg mass experiences 9.81 N force in Earth's gravity

Force FAQs

How many newtons equal one pound of force?

1 pound-force (lbf) = 4.448 newtons (N)

Quick conversions:

• 1 lbf = 4.448 N
• 10 lbf = 44.48 N
• 100 lbf = 444.8 N
• 1,000 lbf = 4,448 N = 4.448 kN

Convert lbf to N →

What is the difference between force and weight?

Force: Any push or pull on an object (general concept)

Weight: Specific force from gravity acting on mass

• Weight = mass × gravity
• Weight changes with gravity
• Mass stays constant

Example: On Earth, 1 kg mass weighs 9.81 N. On Moon, same 1 kg weighs only 1.62 N.

How do you convert kilogram-force to newtons?

Formula: N = kgf × 9.80665

Examples:

• 1 kgf = 9.807 N
• 10 kgf = 98.07 N
• 50 kgf = 490.3 N
• 100 kgf = 980.7 N

Why 9.80665? Standard gravity acceleration (g) in m/s²

Convert kgf to N →

What is a kip in engineering?

Kip = 1,000 pounds-force

Origin: "kilo-pound" → kip

Conversions:

• 1 kip = 1,000 lbf
• 1 kip = 4,448.22 N
• 1 kip = 4.448 kN

Common in US structural engineering:

• Building loads
• Steel beam capacity
• Foundation design

Example: "The beam can support 50 kips" = 50,000 lbf = 222 kN

How much force is 1 newton?

1 newton is:

• Force to accelerate 1 kg at 1 m/s²
• About the weight of a small apple (~100g)
• About 0.225 pounds-force

Comparison:

• 1 N = weight of 100g mass
• 10 N = strong finger push
• 100 N = firm hand push
• 1,000 N = human standing on one foot

What is standard gravity?

Standard gravity (g) = 9.80665 m/s²

Used to define kilogram-force and pound-force.

Actual gravity varies:

• Equator: 9.78 m/s²
• Sea level average: 9.81 m/s²
• Poles: 9.83 m/s²

For most calculations: Use 9.81 m/s² or 10 m/s² (simplified)

Quick Reference Table

From	To	Multiply by	Example
Newton	Pound-force	0.2248	100 N = 22.48 lbf
Pound-force	Newton	4.4482	50 lbf = 222.4 N
Newton	Kilogram-force	0.102	100 N = 10.2 kgf
Kilogram-force	Newton	9.807	10 kgf = 98.07 N
Kilonewton	Newton	1,000	5 kN = 5,000 N
Newton	Dyne	100,000	1 N = 100,000 dyn
Kip	Pound-force	1,000	1 kip = 1,000 lbf
Kip	Kilonewton	4.4482	10 kip = 44.48 kN

Use our calculator for precise conversions →

Related Conversions

• Pressure Converter → - Force per area
• Weight Converter → - Mass measurements
• Energy Converter → - Force × distance
• Power Converter → - Force × velocity

---