To convert grams-force to kips, multiply by 2.204622622e-06. That factor is the whole relationship: both units measure force, so the conversion is a proportion with no offset and no substance-specific constant.
One thousand pounds-force, the working unit of American structural engineering. The weight of one gram at standard gravity, used for keyboard switches, sutures and fibre testing.
Mass is not force. A kilogram is a mass; a kilogram-force is the weight of that mass at standard gravity, 9.80665 N. Bathroom scales blur the distinction because they are calibrated for Earth; engineering calculations cannot. Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real force figures into kips so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
grams-force- The amount you are converting, in grams-force
2.20462262185e-06- The exact number of kips in one gram-force
kips- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in grams-force.
- It is multiplied by 2.20462262185e-06, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in kips, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
A sheet of paper’s weight: 5 gf in kips
A sheet of paper’s weight comes to about 5 gf. Multiplying by the factor: 5 × 2.20462e-06 = 1.10231e-05 kip. Dividing the answer back by 2.20462e-06 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
An adult’s body weight: 7.95e+04 gf in kips
Take an adult’s body weight, roughly 7.95e+04 gf. The conversion is a single multiplication — 7.95e+04 × 2.20462e-06 — giving 0.175267 kip. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 0.350535 kip.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many kips are in one gram-force?
Exactly 2.20462262185e-06. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert grams-force to kips?
kips = grams-force × 2.20462262185e-06. Reversed, grams-force = kips ÷ 2.20462262185e-06, which is the same as multiplying by 453,592.37.
Which is the bigger unit, the gram-force or the kip?
The kip. One gram-force is only 2.20462e-06 of a kip, so it takes 453,592 grams-force to make one kip.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure force. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a gram-force?
The weight of one gram at standard gravity, used for keyboard switches, sutures and fibre testing.
What is a kip?
One thousand pounds-force, the working unit of American structural engineering.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do gf to kip in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: divide by 450,000 instead of using the exact factor 0.000002. At 100 that shortcut gives 0.00022222222 kips, off by 0.000002 kips or about 0.80%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Grams-Force to kips reference tables
| Grams-Force | Kips |
|---|---|
| 0.5 gf | 1.10231e-06 kip |
| 1 gf | 2.20462e-06 kip |
| 2 gf | 4.40925e-06 kip |
| 3 gf | 6.61387e-06 kip |
| 5 gf | 1.10231e-05 kip |
| 10 gf | 2.20462e-05 kip |
| 20 gf | 4.40925e-05 kip |
| 25 gf | 5.51156e-05 kip |
| 50 gf | 0.000110231 kip |
| 75 gf | 0.000165347 kip |
| 100 gf | 0.000220462 kip |
| 250 gf | 0.000551156 kip |
| 500 gf | 0.00110231 kip |
| 1000 gf | 0.00220462 kip |
| 5000 gf | 0.0110231 kip |
Exact factor: 1 gram-force = 2.20462262185e-06 kips.
| Quantity | gf | kip |
|---|---|---|
| A sheet of paper’s weight | 4.997 gf | 1.102e-05 kip |
| Lifting a bag of sugar | 1000 gf | 0.002205 kip |
| A firm handshake | 3.059e+04 gf | 0.06744 kip |
| An adult’s body weight | 7.954e+04 gf | 0.1754 kip |
| A climbing rope’s rated load | 2.243e+06 gf | 4.946 kip |
| A car’s braking force | 8.158e+05 gf | 1.798 kip |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.