Force Converter - Convert Force Units

Common force conversion mistakes

The kilogram is a mass and the newton is a force. A bathroom scale displays kilograms but senses a force, converting for you with the earth's gravity built in. On the moon the same scale would read a sixth, while the mass is exactly the same.
A pound (lb) and a pound-force (lbf) are not the same thing, although both are spoken as "pounds". The pound is mass, the pound-force is the force that mass produces under standard gravity: 1 lbf = 4.4482216152605 N. Tensile ratings and cable loads are quoted in lbf.
Kilogram-force and kilonewton sound close but sit a factor of 102 apart: 1 kgf = 9.80665 N while 1 kN = 1000 N. Older European machine plates give force in kp, modern ones in kN.

Quick conversion quiz

Score: 0

2.1 pound-force equals 0.00467 kilonewton.

Correct answer: 2.1 pound-force = 0.00934 kilonewton.

1.1 pound-force equals 0.424 kilogram-force.

Correct answer: 1.1 pound-force = 0.499 kilogram-force.

143 kilogram-force equals 6.09e+3 poundal.

Correct answer: 143 kilogram-force = 1.01e+4 poundal.

Definitions

tonne-force (tf)

Force exerted by one tonne under standard gravity, 9806.65 newtons.

The tonne-force (tf) is the force one metric tonne exerts under standard gravity, 1000 kg times 9.80665 m/s2, which is exactly 9806.65 newtons. Lifting equipment rated in tonnes is rated in tonne-force, not in mass.

kilogram-force (kp)

Force exerted by one kilogram under standard gravity, exactly 9.80665 newtons.

The kilopond (kp), also called kilogram-force (kgf), is the force one kilogram exerts under standard gravity. It is exactly 9.80665 newtons. A kilogram is a mass and a kilopond is a force: they are not the same quantity, which is why a bathroom scale reading in kilograms is reporting mass, not force.

Read more about kilogram-force at bipm.org

newton (N)

SI derived unit of force. 1 kilogram meter per second squared.

The newton (N) is the SI unit of force, defined as the force that gives a mass of one kilogram an acceleration of one meter per second squared. It is named after Isaac Newton.

pound-force (lbf)

Force exerted by one pound of mass under standard gravity, about 4.448 newtons.

The pound-force (lbf) is the force one avoirdupois pound exerts under standard gravity, exactly 4.4482216152605 newtons. It is a force and must not be confused with the pound (lb), which is a mass.

Frequently asked questions

How many newtons is one kilogram?

The question has no general answer: the kilogram measures mass and the newton measures force. Under standard gravity, however, 1 kg weighs 9.80665 N, and that force is called one kilopond or one kilogram-force. Use 1 kg is roughly 9.81 N.

What is the difference between kilogram-force and kilonewton?

1 kilogram-force is 9.80665 newtons, just under 0.01 kilonewton. So 1 kilonewton is roughly 102 kilogram-force, the weight of about 102 kg.

How much is 1 kN in kilograms?

1 kN is the weight of about 102 kg under standard gravity. Structural engineering quotes loads in kN precisely to keep mass and force apart.

What does a crane's tonne rating mean?

A lifting device rated 5 tonnes holds a force of 5 tonne-force, that is 5 × 9806.65 N = 49033.25 N, just over 49 kN. The rating says what the hook can hold, not a mass that was weighed out.

What is lbf and how is it different from lb?

lbf is pound-force, the force one pound exerts under standard gravity, exactly 4.4482216152605 N. lb is the pound, a mass of 0.45359237 kg. One word in everyday speech, two different quantities.

How do I use the force converter on konvertera.nu?

Enter a value and pick a unit, say 12 kilonewtons, and it is converted to newtons, kilogram-force, tonne-force and pound-force at once.

Unit	Value	Actions
meganewton MN
tonne-force tf
kilonewton kN
kilogram-force kp
newton N
millinewton mN
dyne dyn

Unit	Value	Actions
pound-force lbf
poundal pdl

All units in force