UnitsConverter

Metric Ton-force (tf) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:tf
Plural:metric tons-force
Category:Force

🔄 Quick Convert Metric Ton-force

See all Force conversions →

What is a Metric Ton-force?

Metric ton-force (tf) is the force exerted by one metric ton (1,000 kg) of mass under standard Earth gravity. Equal to 9,806.65 newtons or 9.80665 kilonewtons, it is used in heavy engineering, construction, and industrial applications.

History of the Metric Ton-force

Emerged from the metric gravitational system as a practical unit for large forces. Also called tonne-force. Common in European and Asian engineering before widespread SI adoption. Still used alongside kilonewtons in many engineering contexts.

Quick Answer

What is Metric Ton-force? A metric ton-force (tf) is the force exerted by a one-metric-ton (1,000 kg) mass in Earth's standard gravity. 1 tf = 9,806.65 newtons = 9.80665 kilonewtons = 2,204.6 pounds-force. Used in heavy engineering for crane capacities, structural loads, industrial equipment ratings, and construction specifications. Common in metric countries for large force measurements. Use our force converter to convert metric ton-force to newtons, kilonewtons, and other units instantly.

Quick Comparison Table

Metric Ton-force Kilonewtons Pounds-force Context Convert Now
0.1 0.981 220 Small vehicle tf to kN →
0.5 4.90 1,102 Motorcycle weight tf to kN →
1 9.81 2,205 1 metric ton weight tf to N →
5 49.0 11,023 SUV weight tf to kN →
10 98.1 22,046 Truck weight tf to kN →
100 981 220,462 Large crane capacity tf to kN →

Definition

Metric ton-force (tf) is the force exerted by one metric ton (tonne = 1,000 kg) under standard gravity (9.80665 m/s²).

Formula: 1 tf = 1,000 kg × 9.80665 m/s²

Conversions:

  • 1 tf = 9,806.65 N (newtons)
  • 1 tf = 9.80665 kN (kilonewtons)
  • 1 tf = 2,204.62 lbf (pounds-force)
  • 1 tf = 1,000 kgf (kilogram-force)
  • 1 tf = 0.00980665 MN (meganewtons)
  • 1 tf = 2.20462 kip

History

Metric ton-force emerged from the meter-kilogram-second gravitational system as a practical unit for measuring large forces in metric countries. The metric ton (tonne) equals 1,000 kilograms, making ton-force a natural extension of kilogram-force for heavy loads. Widely used in European, Asian, and Latin American engineering throughout the 20th century for crane ratings, structural loads, and industrial equipment specifications. While SI standardization favors kilonewtons, metric ton-force remains common in practical engineering contexts where the intuitive relationship to mass (1 tonne = 1 tf on Earth) provides convenience.

Common Uses

Construction Equipment: Crane capacity ratings, lifting equipment, heavy machinery.

Structural Engineering: Foundation loads, bridge pier capacity, building columns.

Marine Engineering: Ship displacement, anchor forces, mooring loads.

Industrial Equipment: Press capacity, forging equipment, material handling.

Automotive: Vehicle weight specifications, towing capacity, load ratings.

Real-World Examples

Vehicle Weights:

  • Compact car: 1-1.5 tf
  • Mid-size sedan: 1.5-2 tf
  • SUV: 2-3 tf
  • Pickup truck: 2-3.5 tf
  • Delivery truck: 5-12 tf
  • Semi-truck (loaded): 20-40 tf

Construction Equipment:

  • Mobile crane (small): 10-30 tf capacity
  • Tower crane: 20-100 tf capacity
  • Crawler crane: 50-1,000 tf capacity
  • Hydraulic excavator: 20-100 tf operating weight
  • Bulldozer: 10-80 tf weight
  • Forklift (large): 5-50 tf capacity

Structural Engineering:

  • Residential building column: 10-50 tf load
  • Office building column: 50-500 tf load
  • Bridge pier: 500-5,000 tf load
  • High-rise building foundation: 1,000-10,000 tf
  • Crane foundation pad: 100-1,000 tf
  • Offshore platform leg: 1,000-10,000 tf

Marine Applications:

  • Small yacht displacement: 5-20 tf
  • Fishing vessel: 50-500 tf
  • Cargo ship: 5,000-100,000 tf displacement
  • Container ship: 50,000-200,000 tf
  • Oil tanker: 100,000-500,000 tf
  • Aircraft carrier: 50,000-100,000 tf

Metric Ton-force Conversion Formulas

To Newton:

1 tf = 9806.65 N
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 49033.25 newtons

To Millinewton:

1 tf = 9806650 mN
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 49033250 millinewtons

To Kilonewton:

1 tf = 9.80665 kN
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 49.03325 kilonewtons

To Meganewton:

1 tf = 0.009807 MN
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 0.049033 meganewtons

To Dyne:

1 tf = 980665000 dyn
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 4903325000 dynes

To Pound-force:

1 tf = 2204.622622 lbf
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 11023.113109 pounds-force

To Kilogram-force:

1 tf = 1000 kgf
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 5000 kilograms-force

To Gram-force:

1 tf = 1000000 gf
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 5000000 grams-force

To US Ton-force:

1 tf = 1.102311 tonf
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 5.511557 US tons-force

To UK Ton-force:

1 tf = 0.984207 LTf
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 4.921033 UK tons-force

To Poundal:

1 tf = 70931.635284 pdl
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 354658.17642 poundals

To Ounce-force:

1 tf = 35273.96195 ozf
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 176369.809748 ounces-force

To Kip:

1 tf = 2.204623 kip
Example: 5 metric tons-force = 11.023113 kips

Frequently Asked Questions

Formula: kN = tf × 9.80665 (approximately tf × 9.81) Examples:

Convert Metric Ton-force

Need to convert Metric Ton-force to other force units? Use our conversion tool.

Go to Force ConverterConvert from Metric Ton-force

Metric Ton-force Quick Info

tf
Symbol:tf
Category:Force
System:Various
Convert Metric Ton-force

Related Force Units

View all 13 Force units →

Popular Conversions

See all force conversions →