Force Converter — newtons, pounds-force, kgf & more

How it works

Force is a push or pull, and its SI unit is the newton — the force that accelerates one kilogram at one metre per second squared. Every unit is a fixed multiple of the newton (NIST SP 811):

• 1 pound-force ≈ 4.4482 N — the weight of one pound under standard gravity.
• 1 kilogram-force = 9.80665 N (exactly) — the weight of one kilogram under standard gravity; 1 kilonewton = 1,000 N.
• 1 dyne = 10⁻⁵ N (exactly), the tiny CGS unit.
• 1 ounce-force = 1 lbf ÷ 16 ≈ 0.278 N.

The calculator converts your value to newtons and then to the unit you want, so any pairing works the same way.

Worked example

Converting 1 pound-force to newtons: 1 lbf = 4.4482 N. Going the other way, 1 newton ≈ 0.2248 lbf, and 1 kilogram-force = 9.80665 N.

Frequently asked questions

How many newtons are in a pound-force?

About 4.4482. A pound-force is the weight of one pound under standard gravity, which equals 4.4482 newtons.

What is the difference between a kilogram and a kilogram-force?

A kilogram is a mass; a kilogram-force is the *weight* of that mass under standard gravity — 9.80665 newtons. Mass stays the same everywhere, but the force it exerts depends on gravity.

How do I convert newtons to pounds-force?

Multiply newtons by about 0.2248, since 1 N ≈ 0.2248 lbf. For example, 100 N is about 22.48 pounds-force.

What is a newton?

The SI unit of force — the force that gives a one-kilogram mass an acceleration of one metre per second squared (1 N = 1 kg·m/s²).

What is a dyne?

A very small CGS unit of force equal to 10⁻⁵ newtons — the force to accelerate one gram at one centimetre per second squared. 100,000 dynes make one newton.

Is force the same as weight?

Weight is a specific force — the pull of gravity on a mass. Kilogram-force and pound-force are weight units; the newton measures force in general, whatever its source.