Newtons to Pounds Converter
Newtons to pounds-force, plus a clear explanation of how pound-force differs from pound-mass.
Enter a number.
This converts force, not mass. Pound-force (lbf) and pound-mass (lbm) share a name and are different quantities. If you are weighing something and want pounds on a bathroom scale, you want the kilograms to pounds converter instead. If you have a spring rating, a clamping load or a test result in newtons, you are in the right place.
The formula
N = lbf × 4.4482216152605 (exact)
The pound-force is defined as exactly 4.4482216152605 newtons, so that direction is exact. The reverse figure shown above is its reciprocal, rounded. That asymmetry is normal and is explained on the exact versus rounded factors page.
Force conversion table
| Newtons | Pounds-force | Kilograms-force |
|---|---|---|
| 1 N | 0.225 | 0.102 |
| 5 N | 1.124 | 0.510 |
| 10 N | 2.248 | 1.020 |
| 25 N | 5.620 | 2.549 |
| 50 N | 11.240 | 5.099 |
| 100 N | 22.481 | 10.197 |
| 200 N | 44.962 | 20.394 |
| 250 N | 56.202 | 25.493 |
| 500 N | 112.404 | 50.986 |
| 800 N | 179.847 | 81.577 |
| 1000 N | 224.809 | 101.972 |
| 2000 N | 449.618 | 203.943 |
| 5000 N | 1124.045 | 509.858 |
Pound-force and pound-mass
A pound-force is the force that standard gravity exerts on one pound of mass. Because that definition is tied to standard gravity, one pound of mass weighs one pound-force at the Earth's surface, which is why the two are routinely treated as interchangeable in everyday use.
They stop being interchangeable the moment a calculation involves acceleration, or anywhere other than the Earth's surface. A spec sheet writing lbf means force. A scale reading in lb means mass. If a document uses lb without qualifying it, the context usually tells you: clamping loads, spring rates and test results are force; shipping weights and body weights are mass.
Where this conversion comes up
Spring ratings, fastener clamping loads, material test results and actuator specifications are the common cases. European and international specifications give these in newtons; American ones give pounds-force.
Torque is force applied at a distance, so a torque figure and a force figure are related but not the same conversion. For newton-meters see the torque converter.
Common questions
How many pounds is 1 newton?
One newton is 0.2248089 pounds-force. Put the other way, one pound-force is 4.4482216152605 newtons exactly.
How much is 100 newtons in pounds?
100 newtons is 22.48 pounds-force. One pound-force is 4.4482216152605 newtons. Note this is force, not mass: pounds-force and pounds-mass are different quantities that happen to share a name.
What is 800 N in lbs?
800 newtons is 179.85 pounds-force. That is roughly the weight of an 82 kilogram person at standard gravity, which is a useful way to sanity-check a force figure in this range.
Is a pound a unit of force or mass?
Both, confusingly. Pound-force (lbf) is a unit of force and is what this converter produces. Pound-mass (lbm), usually just called a pound in everyday weighing, is a unit of mass. They are numerically equal only under standard gravity at the Earth's surface.
Related converters and guides
Sources
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B: Conversion Factors. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Source for every conversion factor on this page, and for which factors are exact rather than rounded.