In 1 pound of force there are 4.448222 newtons. Meanwhile in 1 newtons there are 0.224809 pound of force. Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure and how they are calculated. Or just use the Newtons to Pound of force calculator above to convert any number.
* Values rounded to 6 decimal places for readability
To convert pound-force (lbf) to newtons (N), multiply by the standard conversion factor:
Formula:
Example:
Use pound-force (lbf) for force, not pound (lb) for mass. This conversion gives force in newtons, the SI unit of force.
A pound of force (lbf) is a unit of force used in the US customary system. It describes how much force gravity exerts on a 1-pound mass at standard gravity. It’s a force unit, not a mass unit.
A newton (N) is the SI unit of force. One newton is the force needed to accelerate a 1-kilogram mass by 1 meter per second squared (1 m/s²). It’s used in science, engineering, and most metric-based work.
Use this conversion factor:
1 lbf = 4.448221615 N
To convert lbf to N, multiply by 4.448221615:
Newtons = lbf × 4.448221615
Use the inverse conversion:
1 N = 0.2248089439 lbf
To convert N to lbf, multiply by 0.2248089439:
lbf = N × 0.2248089439
1 lbf = 4.448221615 N
For quick work, many people round it to 4.45 N.
1 N = 0.2248089439 lbf
A simple rounded value is 0.225 lbf.
lb often means pound-mass (a mass unit), while lbf means pound-force (a force unit). In everyday talk, people mix them up. In engineering and physics, using lbf helps avoid errors.
The conversion uses standard gravity (9.80665 m/s²). That’s why 1 lbf has a fixed value in newtons. Real gravity changes slightly by location, but the unit definition stays the same.
Both measure force, but they come from different definitions.
In practice, lbf is far more common.
Yes, rounding is common when you don’t need high precision:
Use the full value when you need accurate results.
Here are a few quick references:
Newtons show up in many places, such as:
Use lbf when you work with US customary specs, older drawings, or certain US-based tools and standards. Use newtons for SI-based work, most global standards, and most science problems.
A scale usually shows pounds as weight, which is a force. In casual use, that matches lbf. In technical work, it’s better to label force as lbf to keep it clear.
Force is a push or pull that can change motion. It can speed things up, slow them down, or change direction. Force also shows up as weight, tension, friction, and pressure on surfaces.
The Calculate Box tool to convert pound of force to newtons uses the open source script Convert.js to convert units of measurement. To use this tool, simply type a pound of force value in the box and have it instantly converted to newtons.