Force conversion chart
The force conversion chart: meganewtons down to millinewtons, plus the kilopond and the tonne-force. Edit, print and share.
The force conversion chart in chain form: 1 MN = 1 000 kN, 1 kN = 1 000 N and 1 N = 1 000 mN, plus the kilopond and the tonne-force, the two units hiding behind the words “kilo” and “ton” when what is meant is force. Made for the classroom and home.
| 1 MN | = | 1 000 kN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kN | = | 1 000 N |
| 1 N | = | 1 000 mN |
| 1 MN | = | 1 000 000 N |
| 1 kN | = | 1 000 000 mN |
| 1 kp | = | 9.80665 N |
| 1 kp | = | 0.00980665 kN |
| 1 tf | = | 9 806.65 N |
| 1 tf | = | 9.80665 kN |
| 1 N | = | 0.001 kN |
| 1 mN | = | 0.001 N |
How the table works
Every row is a unit conversion: a quantity and unit on the left, the same quantity expressed in another unit on the right. The table is live – drag the handle to reorder, click a row to change the quantity or units, remove rows with the cross and add your own at the bottom.
Everything you change lands in the page address. Copy the link and others open exactly your table – handy when the whole class needs the same sheet. Your changes are also kept in your browser until you reset them, but only there: to share or keep them permanently, the link is what counts.
Print puts the table on a single portrait A4 and Download PDF gives you the same sheet as a file. Print practice sheet gives the table with empty answer cells and name/date lines – the normal printout is the answer key.
Mass is not force
The kilogram measures mass. The newton measures force. One kilogram weighs 9.80665 newtons under standard gravity, and that particular force is called one kilopond, or one kilogram-force. The same kilogram on the moon weighs about 1.6 newtons, while its mass is exactly the same.
Common mistake: rewriting kilograms as newtons as though it were a unit change. It is a calculation of weight, and it assumes a value for gravity.
The tonne-force is the same idea at a larger scale: a crane rated 5 tonnes holds a force of 5 tonne-force, just over 49 kN.
Roughly how much force?
- An apple in your hand presses down with roughly 1 N.
- An adult on a scale is roughly 800 N.
- A passenger car weighs roughly 15 kN.
- A column footing in a building can carry several MN.
Frequently asked questions
How many newtons is one kilogram?
One kilogram weighs 9.80665 N under standard gravity, so roughly 9.81 N. That force is one kilopond.
How much is 1 kN in kilograms?
Roughly 102 kg, read as weight under standard gravity.
Why are structural loads given in kN?
Because a load is a force, not a mass. Working in kN keeps the two quantities apart in the calculation.
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