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Force Converter

Convert newtons, kN, kgf, lbf, dyne, poundal and kip

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How to use

  1. 1.Type the amount you want to convert into the force value field.
  2. 2.Choose the source unit (From) and the target unit (To) — for example Newton to Pound-force.
  3. 3.Read the converted result instantly, or tick 'Show all units at once' to see newtons through kip together.

About Force Converter

A force converter changes any force between newtons (N), kilonewtons (kN), dynes (dyn), kilogram-force (kgf), gram-force (gf), pound-force (lbf), ounce-force (ozf), poundal (pdl), and kip — instantly and entirely in your browser, with nothing uploaded. Every unit is defined relative to the newton, the SI unit of force, where 1 N is the force that accelerates a 1 kg mass at 1 metre per second squared (1 N = 1 kg·m/s²). This tool routes every conversion through newtons, so the answer is exact to the published definitions rather than a rounded lookup table.

The most common source of confusion is kilogram-force versus the newton, and pound-force versus the pound. A kilogram (kg) is a unit of mass; a kilogram-force (kgf) is the weight of that mass under standard gravity, equal to exactly 9.80665 N. So 1 kgf is not 1 N — it is almost ten times larger. The same split exists in imperial units: a pound (lb) measures mass, while a pound-force (lbf) measures the force that mass exerts under gravity, equal to exactly 4.4482216152605 N. Mixing the mass unit with the force unit is the classic mistake in physics homework and engineering specs alike, so this converter deals only in force units to keep the two ideas separate.

Pound-force is the workhorse of US engineering. Bolt torque, spring ratings, cable tension, and structural loads are routinely quoted in lbf, and once loads get large, engineers switch to the kip — literally a kilopound, or 1000 lbf (about 4448 N) — to keep numbers readable on beam and column calculations. The kilonewton (kN) plays the same role in metric structural work: 1 kN is about 224.8 lbf, so a quick mental bridge is that 1 kip is roughly 4.448 kN. At the other end of the scale sit the tiny CGS and gravimetric units — the dyne (1 dyn = 0.00001 N), gram-force (0.00980665 N), and ounce-force (lbf divided by 16) — used for small tensions, spring gauges, and older scientific literature. The poundal (pdl = 0.138254954376 N) is the absolute-system imperial force unit, the force that accelerates one pound of mass at one foot per second squared, and it still turns up in legacy textbooks.

Enter any number, choose your source and target units, and read the result immediately; tick 'Show all units at once' to see the entire ladder from dyne to kip side by side. The conversion factors follow NIST Special Publication 811, Appendix B.8, so newtons to pounds force and every other pair stays exact to the definition, and everything runs client-side, so your data never leaves your device.

Frequently asked questions

How many newtons are in 1 pound-force?
One pound-force equals exactly 4.4482216152605 N, defined as 0.45359237 kg times standard gravity 9.80665 m/s squared. So 1 lbf is about 4.448 N, and going the other way, 1 N is about 0.2248 lbf. This is the exact factor NIST SP 811 lists for converting newtons to pounds force.
What is the difference between kgf and N?
A newton (N) is the SI unit of force, while a kilogram-force (kgf) is the weight of a 1 kg mass under standard gravity, so 1 kgf = 9.80665 N exactly. Kilogram (mass) and kilogram-force (force) are different quantities that differ by the gravity factor 9.80665 m/s squared — that is why a kgf reading is almost ten times a newton reading.
What is a kip in engineering?
A kip is 1000 pound-force (a kilo-pound), equal to about 4448.22 N or 4.448 kN. Structural engineers in the US use kips so that large building and bridge loads stay as small, readable numbers instead of tens of thousands of pounds.
How do I convert newtons to pounds force?
Divide the newtons by 4.4482216152605, or multiply by 0.224809. For example, 100 N divided by 4.4482216152605 is about 22.48 lbf. Pick Newton as the source unit and Pound-force as the target above and the tool does it instantly.
Is a dyne bigger or smaller than a newton?
Much smaller. One dyne is 0.00001 N (10 to the minus 5 newton), the CGS unit of force, so it takes 100,000 dynes to make one newton. Dynes appear in older physics texts and in measurements of very small forces such as surface tension.

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