Poundal to Decinewton Converter

A poundal (pdl) is a unit of force in the foot-pound-second (FPS) system, defined as the force required to accelerate a mass of one pound at a rate of one foot per second squared. It equals approximately 0.138 newtons.

The poundal was introduced in 1879 as part of the foot-pound-second system to provide a force unit based on fundamental physical principles rather than gravitational force. It was designed to be the imperial equivalent of the newton but never achieved widespread adoption.

Poundals are rarely used in modern applications, appearing mainly in historical engineering literature and some specialized physics contexts. They've been largely replaced by pound-force in practical applications and newtons in scientific work.

A decinewton (dN) is a unit of force equal to one tenth of a newton (0.1 N). It represents small forces typically found in precision instruments, small mechanical systems, and laboratory measurements.

The decinewton developed as part of the metric system's decimal structure, providing a convenient intermediate unit between newtons and smaller force measurements. It became useful in precision engineering and scientific applications requiring moderate precision.

Decinewtons are used in precision instruments, small mechanical systems, laboratory force measurements, and educational demonstrations. They're found in force gauge specifications, precision testing equipment, and scientific instruments requiring moderate force precision.