Force Converter

How to use the Force Converter

Enter a force, using a dot for decimals.

Pick the unit you have and the one you need, such as N to lbf.

Adjust the significant digits.

Copy the converted force.

Force converter for SI, metric and imperial units

This force converter switches between eight units: the newton and its kilo and milli multiples, the CGS dyne, kilogram-force, pound-force, ounce-force and the poundal. One newton is the force that accelerates one kilogram at one meter per second squared.

Gravitational units: kgf and lbf

Kilogram-force and pound-force are defined as the weight of one kilogram or one pound under standard gravity, a fixed conventional acceleration of 9.80665 m/s². That makes both exact:

1 kgf = 9.80665 N
1 lbf = 0.45359237 × 9.80665 = 4.4482216152605 N
1 kgf = 2.204622622 lbf
1 lbf = 16 ozf

These units are why a mass of 1 kg and a force of 1 kgf share a number: on Earth, a 1 kg mass weighs about 1 kgf. Real gravity varies slightly with latitude and altitude, but the units use the standard value.

Absolute units: newton, dyne and poundal

Absolute units are defined from mass and acceleration, with no gravity involved:

Newton: 1 kg·m/s².
Dyne: 1 g·cm/s², which is 10⁻⁵ N. It belongs to the older CGS system.
Poundal: 1 lb·ft/s², which is 0.138254954376 N.

One pound-force is 32.17404856 poundals, and that number is simply standard gravity expressed in feet per second squared.

Examples

1 N      = 0.2248089431 lbf
100 N    = 22.48089431 lbf
1 kN     = 101.9716213 kgf
1 lbf    = 4.448221615 N
1 N      = 100000 dyn

A handy check: 1 kN is about 102 kgf, roughly the weight of a 100 kg mass. Rope, anchor and lifting equipment ratings often come in kN for this reason.

Force, mass and pressure

A bathroom scale reports kilograms or pounds of mass even though it measures force. Use the weight converter for those readings, and this tool when a spec really means force. Divide a force by the area it acts on to get pressure, then express it in psi or bar with the pressure converter. Torque (such as newton-meters) is a different quantity and cannot be converted here.

Real-world force ratings

Equipment specifications mix units freely, so it helps to see a few typical values side by side:

Rating	kN	kgf	lbf
Climbing carabiner, gate closed	24	2,447	5,395
Small jet engine thrust	120	12,237	26,977
Weight of a 100 kg load	0.981	100	220.5

Common mistakes

Using 10 instead of 9.80665. Rounding standard gravity to 10 m/s² is fine for a rough estimate but makes kgf conversions about 2% off, which matters for load ratings.
Treating lb and lbf as the same thing. A pound is mass and a pound-force is weight; they only share a number under standard gravity.
Kips. US structural engineering uses the kip, 1,000 lbf or about 4.448 kN. It is not in the unit list, so convert the value in lbf and multiply or divide by 1,000.

Frequently asked questions

How many newtons are in a kilogram-force?

One kilogram-force is exactly 9.80665 newtons, the weight of one kilogram under standard gravity.

How do I convert newtons to pounds-force?

Multiply newtons by 0.2248089431, or divide by 4.4482216152605. For example, 100 N is 22.48089431 lbf.

What is a poundal?

A poundal is the force that accelerates one pound of mass at one foot per second squared. It equals 0.138254954376 N, and 32.17404856 poundals make one pound-force.

Is kg a unit of force?

No, the kilogram is a unit of mass. The matching force unit is the kilogram-force (kgf), equal to 9.80665 N. In everyday speech "kg" is often used loosely for both.

How many kilonewtons is a ton of force?

A metric tonne-force is 1,000 kgf, which is 9.80665 kN. A US short ton-force is 2,000 lbf, or about 8.896 kN. Convert the kgf or lbf value here and multiply by 1,000 or 2,000.