Poundal to Kilogram-force 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 kilogram-force (kgf) is a unit of force equal to the gravitational force exerted by a mass of one kilogram under standard Earth gravity. It equals approximately 9.807 newtons and represents force in terms of familiar weight measurements.

The kilogram-force developed as a practical force unit based on the familiar concept of weight. It was widely used before the adoption of SI units, particularly in countries using the metric system, providing an intuitive way to express forces in terms of equivalent weights.

Kilogram-force is still used in some engineering applications, particularly in countries transitioning to SI units. It's found in some mechanical specifications, older engineering references, and applications where weight-equivalent forces are more intuitive than newtons.