Force Conversion Calculator — N, lbf, kgf, kN, dyn
Convert any force value between eight common units — Newton, kilonewton, pound-force, kilogram-force, kip, dyne, poundal and millinewton. Enter the value and choose the source unit; all conversions appear instantly.
From unit
The Newton (N) is the SI unit of force: 1 N = 1 kg·m/s²
- 1
Conversion factor
1 N = 1 NThe Newton is the SI base unit of force. - 2
Force in Newtons
100 × 1 = 100
How does this calculator work?
Convert force between Newton, pound-force, kilogram-force, kilonewton, kip, dyne, poundal and millinewton by entering a value and selecting the source unit. Key factors: 1 lbf = 4.4482 N, 1 kgf = 9.8067 N, 1 kip = 4448.2 N, 1 dyn = 10⁻⁵ N.
Formula
How this is calculated
The Newton (N) is the SI unit of force, defined as 1 kg·m/s². All other force units can be expressed as exact or very precisely defined multiples of the Newton. The calculator first converts the input to Newtons using the source unit's conversion factor, then divides by each target unit's factor to produce all results simultaneously.
Key conversion factors: 1 pound-force (lbf) = 4.448 221 615… N (defined as the gravitational force on a 1 lb mass at standard gravity 9.806 65 m/s²); 1 kilogram-force (kgf, also called kilopond) = 9.806 65 N exactly; 1 kip = 1 000 lbf = 4 448.2 N; 1 dyne = 10⁻⁵ N (CGS unit); 1 poundal (pdl) = 0.138 255 N (the force that accelerates 1 lb by 1 ft/s²).
A millinewton (mN = 10⁻³ N) is useful for small forces in electronics or biology. A kilonewton (kN = 1 000 N) is common in structural engineering — the weight of a 100 kg object at standard gravity is approximately 0.981 kN.
Frequently asked questions
Pound-mass (lb or lbm) is a unit of mass; pound-force (lbf) is a unit of force equal to the gravitational force on a 1 lb mass at standard gravity (9.806 65 m/s²). At sea level on Earth they are numerically equal, which leads to confusion, but in engineering calculations they must be kept distinct. This calculator deals with pound-force only.
The kilogram-force (also kilopond, kp) is the gravitational force on a 1 kg mass at standard gravity: exactly 9.806 65 N. It is still used in some European and aerospace contexts. The weight of a 10 kg object is approximately 9.807 × 10 = 98.07 N = 10 kgf.
Dynes belong to the CGS (centimetre-gram-second) system: 1 dyn = 1 g·cm/s² = 10⁻⁵ N. They appear in older physics and chemistry literature. The poundal is the foot-pound-second equivalent: 1 pdl = 1 lb·ft/s² ≈ 0.138 N — rarely used today but encountered in some 19th–20th century engineering texts.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Force Conversion Calculator — N, lbf, kgf, kN, dyn [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/force-conversion-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Force Conversion Calculator — N, lbf, kgf, kN, dyn." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/force-conversion-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Force Conversion Calculator — N, lbf, kgf, kN, dyn," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/force-conversion-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_force_conversion_calculator, title = {Force Conversion Calculator — N, lbf, kgf, kN, dyn}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/force-conversion-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
Did this calculator help you?