Millinewton (mN) - Unit Information & Conversion

Quick Answer

What is a Millinewton? A millinewton (mN) is a metric unit of force equal to 0.001 newtons (one-thousandth of a newton). It measures small forces: 10 mN ≈ weight of 1 gram, 100 mN ≈ firm finger push on button, 1,000 mN = 1 newton. Used in precision instruments, surface tension measurements, microelectronics testing, and scientific research. Use our force converter to convert millinewtons to newtons, gram-force, and other units instantly.

Key Facts: Millinewton

Property	Value
Symbol	mN
Quantity	Force
System	Metric/SI Derived
Derived from	Newton
Category	Force
Standard Body	NIST / ISO

Quick Comparison Table

Millinewtons	Newtons	Gram-force	Context	Convert Now
1	0.001	0.102	Small insect weight	mN to N →
10	0.01	1.02	~1 gram weight	mN to gf →
50	0.05	5.1	Button press force	mN to N →
100	0.1	10.2	Strong finger push	mN to N →
500	0.5	51	Pencil writing force	mN to N →
1,000	1	102	1 newton	mN to N →

Definition

The millinewton (mN) equals 0.001 newtons. It measures small forces in SI units.

Formula: 1 mN = 0.001 N = 10⁻³ kg⋅m/s²

Conversions:

• 1 mN = 0.001 N (newtons)
• 1 mN = 1,000 μN (micronewtons)
• 1 mN = 0.000224809 lbf (pounds-force)
• 1 mN = 0.10197 gf (gram-force)
• 1 mN = 100 dynes
• 1,000 mN = 1 N

History

The millinewton emerged as precision measurement technology advanced in the 20th century. As instruments capable of measuring small forces were developed for materials science, electronics testing, and biological research, a convenient SI unit was needed. The millinewton provides an appropriate scale for forces that are too small to express conveniently in newtons but don't require the microscale precision of micronewtons. It gradually replaced the CGS unit dyne in modern scientific literature while maintaining SI unit consistency. Today, mN is standard in surface tension measurements, precision force gauges, and microelectronics testing.

Common Uses

Surface Tension: Liquid surface tension measured in mN/m (equivalent to dynes/cm).

Precision Instruments: Force gauges, material testing equipment, contact force sensors.

Microelectronics: Component insertion force, connector retention, switch actuation.

Biological Research: Cell manipulation, tissue mechanics, microfluidics.

Quality Control: Product testing, texture analysis, mechanical property verification.

Real-World Examples

Everyday Small Forces:

• Small ant weight: ~0.5-2 mN
• Honeybee weight: ~1 mN
• Grain of rice weight: ~15-25 mN
• Paperclip weight: ~10 mN
• Postage stamp weight: ~0.5 mN
• Human hair (1 cm): ~0.1 mN weight

Surface Tension:

• Water: 72 mN/m at 25°C
• Ethanol: 22 mN/m
• Mercury: 486 mN/m
• Soapy water: 25-30 mN/m
• Blood plasma: 50-55 mN/m
• Saliva: 55-65 mN/m

Electronics and Switches:

• Keyboard key: 45-80 mN actuation force
• Mouse button: 50-150 mN
• Microswitch: 10-200 mN
• Touch sensor: 1-50 mN
• Connector insertion: 100-1,000 mN
• IC chip insertion: 50-500 mN

Precision Measurements:

• Pen writing pressure: 200-800 mN
• Touchscreen tap: 100-500 mN
• Stylus pressure: 50-500 mN
• Dental probe: 10-100 mN
• Sewing needle penetration: 100-500 mN
• Micro-manipulation: 0.1-10 mN

Real-World Examples

Mechanical and Precision Applications

Millinewton measurements in engineering:

Application	Force Range (mN)	Purpose
Touchscreen pressure	10-100	Device sensitivity
Keyboard key force	50-70	Actuation feel
Ball point pen	20-50	Writing force
Mechanical switch	10-100	Trigger sensitivity
Contact force	1-10	Delicate interfaces
Sensor calibration	0.1-1000	Testing equipment

Small Spring and Sensor Systems

Precision measurement requirements:

System	Range (mN)	Application
Strain gauge	0.001-100	Stress testing
Load cell	0.1-10,000	Weighing systems
Accelerometer	0.01-100	Vibration sensing
Pressure sensor	1-1,000	Force measurement

How do I convert millinewtons to newtons?

Formula: N = mN × 0.001 (or mN ÷ 1,000)

Examples:

• 10 mN = 0.01 N
• 100 mN = 0.1 N
• 500 mN = 0.5 N
• 1,000 mN = 1 N

Simple rule: Divide by 1,000 or move decimal point three places left.

Millinewtons to Newtons converter →

How many millinewtons equal one gram-force?

1 gram-force = 9.807 millinewtons (approximately 9.81 mN)

Quick conversions:

• 1 gf = 9.81 mN
• 5 gf = 49.0 mN
• 10 gf = 98.1 mN
• 100 gf = 981 mN

Reverse: 1 mN = 0.102 gf

Gram-force to Millinewtons converter →

What is the relationship between millinewtons and dynes?

1 millinewton = 100 dynes

Both measure small forces but come from different unit systems:

• Millinewton: SI-derived unit (compatible with newtons, meters, kilograms)
• Dyne: CGS unit (based on centimeters, grams, seconds)

Conversion examples:

• 10 mN = 1,000 dynes
• 100 mN = 10,000 dynes
• 1,000 mN = 100,000 dynes

Modern scientific practice favors millinewtons for SI unit consistency, though surface tension is still sometimes reported in dynes/cm (numerically equal to mN/m).

Dynes to Millinewtons converter →

When should I use millinewtons instead of newtons?

Use millinewtons when:

• Measuring forces less than 1 N
• Surface tension measurements
• Precision instrument specifications
• Electronics component testing
• Small force values that would require many decimal places in newtons

Use newtons when:

• Standard engineering calculations
• Forces greater than 1 N
• General physics applications
• When precision below 0.1 N is unnecessary

Note: "50 mN" is clearer and easier to read than "0.050 N" in precision contexts.

Convert millinewtons to other force units →