In 1 newtons there are 7.233011 poundals. Meanwhile in 1 poundals there are 0.138255 newtons. Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure and how they are calculated. Or just use the Poundals to Newtons calculator above to convert any number.
* Values rounded to 6 decimal places for readability
To convert newtons (N) to poundals (pdl), use a fixed force conversion factor.
Example:
This Newtons to poundals conversion works for any value. Just multiply the number of newtons by 7.23301385 to get poundals.
A newton is the SI unit of force. It’s the force needed to speed up 1 kilogram of mass by 1 meter per second squared (1 m/s²). In short, 1 N = 1 kg·m/s².
A poundal is a unit of force in the foot-pound-second (FPS) system. It’s the force needed to speed up 1 pound (lb) of mass by 1 foot per second squared (1 ft/s²). In short, 1 pdl = 1 lb·ft/s².
Use this conversion:
This works because both units measure force, just in different base units.
Use the reverse conversion:
The standard factor is:
If you need fewer decimals, you can round based on your accuracy needs.
A newton is based on kilograms and meters, while a poundal is based on pounds (mass) and feet. Since kilograms, pounds, meters, and feet don’t match in size, the same force turns into a different number. The 7.233 value comes from those base-unit relationships.
No. A poundal (pdl) and pound-force (lbf) are different units.
A common relationship is:
Poundals show up in older physics and engineering work that uses the FPS absolute system. Newtons are far more common today, but poundals still matter when you need to match a legacy formula, table, or textbook.
For a rough estimate:
Example:
Using the standard factor:
Rounded:
Using the reverse factor:
Rounded:
No. Newtons and poundals are both force units defined by mass and acceleration. Gravity matters when you convert between mass and weight (like lbm to lbf), but not for N to pdl.
Use the unit system that matches the rest of your inputs.
Mixing unit systems can cause mistakes, so keep everything consistent.
The Calculate Box tool to convert newtons to poundals uses the open source script Convert.js to convert units of measurement. To use this tool, simply type a newtons value in the box and have it instantly converted to poundals.