Enter the force and choose from newtons, kilonewtons, pounds-force, kilograms-force, ounces-force and dynes. Take values from a spring scale, an engineering drawing or a product rating. One pound-force is about 4.448 newtons, and a kilogram-force is 9.80665 newtons.
Weight is a force, so the weight of a mass depends on gravity, and an object weighing one kilogram-force has a mass of one kilogram on Earth.
Force Converter: worked example
| Force to convert | 100 |
|---|---|
| Starting unit | Newtons |
| Requested unit | Pounds-force |
| Converted value | 22.5 |
| 1 unit of "from" in "to" units | 0.225 |
Force Converter: formula
Common error: Treating a mass in pounds as a force in pounds-force without thought. They match on Earth's surface, but not in other gravity or in a calculation that needs newtons.
A converted force does not certify a rope, fastener, structure or lifting device. Direction, dynamic effects, load path, allowable rating and required design factors belong to the relevant specification. A force alone also does not determine stress without loaded area.
Standard-gravity units such as kilogram-force remain fixed even where the local gravitational field differs.
Force Converter: changing Force to convert
| Force to convert | Converted value | 1 unit of "from" in "to" units |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 18 | 0.225 |
| 90 | 20.2 | 0.225 |
| 100 (example) | 22.5 | 0.225 |
| 110 | 24.7 | 0.225 |
| 120 | 27 | 0.225 |
Force Converter: compare input ranges
| Input | Tested from | To | Converted value: low input | Converted value: high input | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Requested unit | Newtons | Dynes | 100 | 10,000,000 | 9,999,900 (44482216%) |
| Starting unit | Newtons | Dynes | 22.5 | 0.00022 | 22.5 (100000%) |
| Force to convert | 90 | 110 | 20.2 | 24.7 | 4.5 (20%) |
Force Converter: individual input comparisons
| Input | Value | Converted value | 1 unit of "from" in "to" units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Force to convert | 80 | 18 | 0.225 |
| 90 | 20.2 | 0.225 | |
| 100 | 22.5 | 0.225 | |
| 110 | 24.7 | 0.225 | |
| 120 | 27 | 0.225 | |
| Starting unit | Newtons | 22.5 | 0.225 |
| Kilonewtons | 22,480.9 | 224.8 | |
| Pounds-force | 100 | 1 | |
| Kilograms-force | 220.5 | 2.2 | |
| Ounces-force | 6.2 | 0.062 | |
| Dynes | 0.00022 | 0 | |
| Requested unit | Newtons | 100 | 1 |
| Kilonewtons | 0.1 | 0.001 | |
| Pounds-force | 22.5 | 0.225 | |
| Kilograms-force | 10.2 | 0.102 | |
| Ounces-force | 359.7 | 3.6 | |
| Dynes | 10,000,000 | 100,000 |
Force Converter: which assumptions move the result?
Force Converter: values and definitions
| Quantity and definition | Value used |
|---|---|
| Force to convert | 100 |
| Starting unit — Unit to convert from. | Newtons |
| Requested unit — Unit to convert to. | Pounds-force |
| Converted value | 22.5 |
| 1 unit of "from" in "to" units | 0.225 |
Unit Conversion calculators: Torque Converter Calculator, Frequency Converter Calculator, Fuel Economy Converter Calculator, Length Converter Calculator, Weight Converter Calculator, Volume Converter Calculator.
Force units come from different systems: newtons in science, pounds-force in the United States and kilograms-force in some older engineering specs. One pound-force is about 4.448 newtons, so 100 newtons is about 22.5 pounds-force. A kilogram-force is the pull of gravity on one kilogram, about 9.81 newtons.
That last one is why people sometimes confuse mass with force. Reference values: one kilonewton is about 224.8 pounds-force, and one kilogram-force is 9.807 newtons. A 10 kilonewton rating is roughly 1,020 kilograms-force, a load a rope or bolt can carry only if its rating says so.
Check whether a figure is in kilograms or kilograms-force. A rating in kilograms usually means the weight that mass carries under gravity.
Convert torque on the torque converter, pressure on the pressure converter and weight on the weight converter. The dot product calculator handles force vectors, and the Newton and physics categories cover related formulas. The energy converter handles work, force times distance.
Can I enter kilograms on a load label as kilograms-force?
Confirm the manufacturer’s meaning first. A mass rating and an applied-force rating are different quantities; converting units does not establish an allowable load.
How many newtons is a kilogram-force?
One kilogram-force is exactly 9.80665 newtons by the conventional standard-gravity definition. It is not a measurement of local gravity at every location. Keep kilograms of mass separate from kilogram-force when choosing a conversion.
What is the difference between pounds and pounds-force?
A pound of mass is a quantity of matter, and a pound-force is the force that gravity exerts on a pound of mass, which is about 4.448 newtons.
How big is a newton?
A newton is the force required to accelerate one kilogram by one meter per second squared. Using the conventional pound-force definition, one newton is about 0.224809 lbf. This avoids treating the weight of an unspecified everyday object as an exact reference.