Poundal to Meganewton 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 meganewton (MN) is a unit of force equal to one million newtons. It represents extremely large forces typically encountered in large-scale engineering applications, geological processes, and major structural systems.

The meganewton emerged as a practical unit with the development of large-scale civil engineering projects and heavy industry in the 20th century. It became necessary for describing forces in major bridges, skyscrapers, large machinery, and geological phenomena where smaller units would result in unwieldy numbers.

Meganewtons are used in civil engineering for major structural analysis, aerospace engineering for rocket thrust, heavy machinery design, and geological studies. They're standard for describing forces in large bridges, building foundations, mining equipment, and tectonic processes.