This page converts poundals into kilonewtons using the factor 0.0001382549544, and shows the reverse figure alongside it. Both units measure force, which is why one number does the whole job.
The force accelerating one pound at one foot per second squared; the absolute-imperial counterpart of the slug. Used in structural engineering and climbing-gear ratings.
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. Two tables follow: rounded steps for quick lookup, and a set of real reference quantities converted into kilonewtons, which is usually more useful than the bare number.
The formula
poundals- The amount you are converting, in poundals
0.000138254954376- The exact number of kilonewtons in one poundal
kilonewtons- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in poundals.
- It is multiplied by 0.000138254954376, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in kilonewtons, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
Lifting a bag of sugar: 71 pdl in kilonewtons
At 71 pdl (lifting a bag of sugar), the same quantity in kilonewtons is 71 × 0.000138255 = 0.0098161 kN. One poundal is 0.000138255 kilonewtons, so the numbers shrink as expected.
A firm handshake: 2170 pdl in kilonewtons
Take a firm handshake, roughly 2170 pdl. The conversion is a single multiplication — 2170 × 0.000138255 — giving 0.300013 kN. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 0.600027 kN.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many kilonewtons are in one poundal?
Exactly 0.000138254954376. 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 poundals to kilonewtons?
kilonewtons = poundals × 0.000138254954376. Reversed, poundals = kilonewtons ÷ 0.000138254954376, which is the same as multiplying by 7233.01385121.
Which is the bigger unit, the poundal or the kilonewton?
The kilonewton. One poundal is only 0.000138255 of a kilonewton, so it takes 7233.01 poundals to make one kilonewton.
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 poundal?
The force accelerating one pound at one foot per second squared; the absolute-imperial counterpart of the slug.
What is a kilonewton?
Used in structural engineering and climbing-gear ratings.
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 pdl to kN in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: divide by 7000 instead of using the exact factor 0.0001382549544. At 100 that shortcut gives 0.014285714 kilonewtons, off by 0.0004602 kilonewtons or about 3.33%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Poundals to kilonewtons reference tables
| Poundals | Kilonewtons |
|---|---|
| 0.5 pdl | 6.91275e-05 kN |
| 1 pdl | 0.000138255 kN |
| 2 pdl | 0.00027651 kN |
| 3 pdl | 0.000414765 kN |
| 5 pdl | 0.000691275 kN |
| 10 pdl | 0.00138255 kN |
| 20 pdl | 0.0027651 kN |
| 25 pdl | 0.00345637 kN |
| 50 pdl | 0.00691275 kN |
| 75 pdl | 0.0103691 kN |
| 100 pdl | 0.0138255 kN |
| 250 pdl | 0.0345637 kN |
| 500 pdl | 0.0691275 kN |
| 1000 pdl | 0.138255 kN |
| 5000 pdl | 0.691275 kN |
Exact factor: 1 poundal = 0.000138254954376 kilonewtons.
| Quantity | pdl | kN |
|---|---|---|
| A sheet of paper’s weight | 0.3544 pdl | 4.9e-05 kN |
| Lifting a bag of sugar | 70.96 pdl | 0.00981 kN |
| A firm handshake | 2170 pdl | 0.3 kN |
| An adult’s body weight | 5642 pdl | 0.78 kN |
| A climbing rope’s rated load | 1.591e+05 pdl | 22 kN |
| A car’s braking force | 5.786e+04 pdl | 8 kN |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.