13.8255
N
3.1081
lbf
13.8255
N
3.1081
lbf
The Poundals to Newtons Converter converts force measurements from poundals (pdl) to newtons (N) using the conversion factor 1 pdl = 0.138255 N. The poundal is the absolute unit of force in the foot-pound-second (FPS) system, where it represents the force required to accelerate one pound-mass at one foot per second squared.
The poundal was introduced to provide a coherent absolute force unit in the imperial system, analogous to the newton in SI or the dyne in CGS. Unlike the pound-force (which is gravitationally defined), the poundal is independent of gravity, making it theoretically cleaner for physics calculations in imperial units. Despite this advantage, the poundal never achieved widespread adoption and is primarily encountered in British physics textbooks, historical engineering documents, and certain academic contexts.
Understanding the poundal helps clarify the distinction between gravitational and absolute force units in the imperial system. In the gravitational FPS system, the pound-force is the standard and the slug is the mass unit. In the absolute FPS system, the pound-mass is standard and the poundal is the force unit. This dual system has been a source of confusion in imperial-unit engineering, which is one reason the metric system, with its single coherent set of units, has been adopted worldwide.
Our converter also provides results in pounds-force (lbf) for comparison, using the relationship 1 pdl = 1/32.174 lbf ≈ 0.031081 lbf, where 32.174 ft/s² is the standard gravitational acceleration.
The formula is: N = pdl × 0.138255. The exact conversion: 1 pdl = 1 lb·ft/s² = 0.45359237 kg × 0.3048 m/s² = 0.138254954376 N. For pounds-force: lbf = pdl / 32.17405 (since 1 lbf = g_n × 1 lb = 32.17405 pdl).
Comparison: 1 poundal ≈ 0.138 N, roughly the weight of 14 grams. A person weighing 150 lbf exerts about 4826 poundals of gravitational force. The poundal is about 32 times smaller than the pound-force, reflecting the ratio of standard gravity in ft/s² (32.174).
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32.174 pdl = 1 lbf = 4.448 N
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Results
100 pdl ≈ 13.83 N ≈ 3.11 lbf
A poundal (pdl) is the force required to accelerate one pound-mass at one foot per second squared. It is the absolute (non-gravitational) force unit in the FPS system. 1 pdl ≈ 0.138255 N.
A pound-force (lbf) is gravitationally defined (the weight of 1 lb at standard gravity), while a poundal is defined purely from mass and acceleration. 1 lbf = 32.174 pdl.
To provide a coherent absolute force unit in the imperial system, analogous to the newton in SI. It eliminates the gravitational constant from Newton's second law: F(pdl) = m(lb) × a(ft/s²) directly.
Rarely. It appears in some British physics textbooks and historical documents. Virtually all modern engineering uses either newtons (SI) or pounds-force (imperial).
1 N ≈ 7.233 pdl. Conversely, 1 pdl ≈ 0.138255 N.
In the gravitational FPS system, 1 lbf accelerates 1 slug at 1 ft/s². In the absolute FPS system, 1 pdl accelerates 1 lb at 1 ft/s². So 1 slug = 32.174 lb, connecting the two systems.
Divide by 32.17405 (standard gravity in ft/s²). For example, 100 pdl = 100/32.174 ≈ 3.108 lbf.
The dyne is the CGS absolute force unit (1 g·cm/s²). 1 pdl ≈ 13,825.5 dyn.
Technically yes, but it is highly impractical. Modern engineering uses newtons (SI) or pounds-force (US customary). Using poundals would cause confusion and potential errors.
The conversion factor (0.138254954376 N/pdl) is derived from exact definitions of the pound (0.45359237 kg) and foot (0.3048 m), making it exact to full precision.
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