💪 Force Conversion Calculator 2026
Convert between 40+ force units — Newtons, pounds-force, dynes, and more
1 N = 0.2248 lbf
Formula: value × 0.2248
📊 All Conversions
Common Force Conversions
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 newton (N) | pound-force (lbf) | 0.2248 |
| 1 pound-force (lbf) | newton (N) | 4.4482 |
| 1 kilogram-force (kgf) | newton (N) | 9.8067 |
| 1 newton (N) | dyne | 100,000 |
| 1 kip (kip) | newton (N) | 4,448.22 |
| 1 kilonewton (kN) | pound-force (lbf) | 224.809 |
| 1 ton-force [short] | newton (N) | 8,896.44 |
Understanding Force Units
⚡ Newton (N)
SI unit of force. 1 N = force to accelerate 1 kg at 1 m/s². F = ma. Named after Isaac Newton. Used in physics and engineering worldwide.
⚖️ Kilogram-force (kgf)
Weight of 1 kg on Earth. 1 kgf = 9.80665 N (at standard gravity). Also called kilopond (kp). Common in some engineering contexts.
🔧 Pound-force (lbf)
Imperial/US unit. Weight of 1 pound mass. 1 lbf = 4.448 N. Different from pound (mass). Used in US engineering and everyday life.
🔬 Dyne
CGS unit. 1 dyne = 1 g·cm/s² = 10⁻⁵ N. Very small unit used in older physics literature and some specialized applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert force units?
Use our calculator above: enter value, select source and target units. The formula
is Result = Value × Conversion Factor. All units convert through newtons as the base
unit.
How do I convert newtons to pounds-force?
Multiply by 0.2248. Formula: lbf = N × 0.2248. Example: 100 N =
22.48 lbf. This is the force, not mass (which is just "pounds").
How do I convert pounds-force to newtons?
Multiply by 4.4482. Formula: N = lbf × 4.4482. Example: 10 lbf =
44.48 N. Remember: pound-force ≠ pound (mass).
How do I convert kg-force to newtons?
Multiply by 9.80665 (standard gravity). Formula: N = kgf ×
9.80665. Example: 10 kgf = 98.07 N. This is the weight of 10 kg on Earth.
What is the difference between pound and pound-force?
Pound (lb) is a unit of mass. Pound-force (lbf)
is a unit of force — the weight of 1 pound mass on Earth. In everyday use, these are often confused, but
they're different in physics.
What is a newton?
The SI unit of force. 1 newton is the force required to accelerate
1 kilogram at 1 meter per second squared. F = ma → 1 N = 1 kg × 1 m/s².
What is a dyne?
The CGS unit of force. 1 dyne = force to accelerate 1 gram at 1
cm/s². 1 dyne = 10⁻⁵ N = 0.00001 N. Very small, used in older scientific work.
What is a kip?
Kip = kilopound-force = 1,000 lbf. Used in structural engineering
for large forces. 1 kip = 4,448.22 N ≈ 4.45 kN. Convenient for building/bridge calculations.
What is kilogram-force vs kilogram?
Kilogram (kg) is mass. Kilogram-force (kgf) is
the force/weight of 1 kg under standard gravity (9.80665 m/s²). 1 kgf ≈ 9.81 N. Also called kilopond.
How do I convert between weight and force?
Weight IS a force. Weight = mass × gravity. On Earth: Weight (N) =
mass (kg) × 9.81. Weight (lbf) = mass (lb) × 1 (approximately, under standard gravity).
What is a ton-force?
Force of 1 ton weight. Short ton-force (US) = 2000 lbf = 8,896 N.
Long ton-force (UK) = 2240 lbf = 9,964 N. Metric ton-force = 1000 kgf
= 9,807 N.
What is a poundal?
FPS absolute unit. 1 poundal = force to accelerate 1 pound-mass at
1 ft/s². 1 pdl = 0.1383 N. Rarely used today, but appears in older engineering texts.
How is force related to mass?
F = ma (Newton's Second Law). Force = mass × acceleration. Weight
is force of gravity: W = mg where g ≈ 9.81 m/s² on Earth.
What force units are used in engineering?
SI: N, kN, MN. US: lbf, kip, ton-force.
Metric (older): kgf, tonne-force. Choice depends on region and industry standards.
What is a sthene?
MTS unit of force. 1 sthène = 1 tonne × 1 m/s² = 1000 N = 1 kN.
Part of metre-tonne-second system, rarely used today.
Why are there different force units?
Historical development. SI (newton) is modern standard. Imperial
(lbf) still used in US. CGS (dyne) was common in early science. Old metric (kgf) was intuitive but
caused confusion with mass.
How accurate is this force converter?
Uses standard conversion factors with high precision (NIST
values). For most practical purposes, results are accurate to many decimal places.