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Poundals to Dynes Converter

Convert poundals to dynes — 1 pdl = 13,825.4954 dyn (exact). Bidirectional FPS-to-CGS absolute force converter with formula and dynamics reference.

pdl

Dynes

217,060.35

dyn

15.7 pdl = 217,060.35 dyn

dyn = pdl × 13,825.5

Poundals to Dynes: 1 pdl equals 13825.5 dyn. To convert poundals to dynes, multiply by 13825.5 (dyn = pdl × 13,825.5). For example, 10 pdl = 138255 dyn.

How to Convert Poundals to Dynes

To convert from poundals to dynes, multiply the value by 13825.5. The conversion is linear, meaning doubling the input doubles the output.

Conversion Formula

  • Poundals to Dynes: dyn = pdl × 13,825.5
  • Dynes to Poundals: pdl = dyn ÷ 13,825.5

Poundals to Dynes Conversion Chart

Poundals (pdl)Dynes (dyn)
0.11382.55
0.253456.375
0.56912.75
113825.5
227651
341476.5
569127.5
10138255
20276510
25345637.5
50691275
1001382550
2503456375
100013825500

Understanding the Units

What is a Poundal?

A poundal equals approximately 0.138255 newtons — the force needed to accelerate one pound-mass by one foot per second squared.

Common contexts: absolute foot-pound-second system.

What is a Dyne?

A dyne equals exactly 10⁻⁵ newtons — the CGS unit of force, defined as the force needed to accelerate one gram by one centimeter per second squared.

Common contexts: surface tension, older physics texts.

How to Convert Poundals to Dynes

Multiply the poundal value by 13,825.4954. The factor comes from 1 pdl = 0.138254954376 N × 10⁵ dyn per N. Both units rest on defined SI constants, so the conversion is mathematically exact.

Conversion Formula

  • Poundals to Dynes: dyn = pdl × 13,825.4954
  • Dynes to Poundals: pdl = dyn × 7.2330138 × 10⁻⁵
  • Mental shortcut: 1 pdl ≈ 1.38 × 10⁴ dyn

Common Conversions

Poundals (pdl)Dynes (dyn)Real-World Anchor
0.01138.250.01 pdl — feather flick
0.05691.27small spring deflection
0.11,382.550.1 pdl — light paper bend
0.253,456.37quarter pdl — small magnet
0.56,912.750.5 pdl — typical button press
113,825.501 pdl — small spring force
227,650.992 pdl — light tool tip
3.751,154.333.7 pdl — moderate textbook value
569,127.485 pdl — heavier deflection
10138,254.9510 pdl — small hand-tool grip
25345,637.3925 pdl — bench-spring load
50691,274.7750 pdl — moderate test load
1001,382,549.54100 pdl — dynamics textbook ceiling
5006,912,747.72500 pdl — large lab demonstration

Understanding the Units

What Is a Poundal?

The poundal (pdl) is the absolute FPS unit of force, defined by F = ma: 1 pdl = 1 lb·ft/s² = 0.138254954376 N exactly. Introduced in 1879 as part of the absolute FPS system, the poundal frees imperial dynamics from gravitational dependency — but at the cost of introducing a 32.174 factor wherever forces interact with weighed mass.

What Is a Dyne?

The dyne (dyn) is the absolute CGS unit of force: 1 dyn = 1 g·cm/s² = 10⁻⁵ N exactly. The CGS system was the dominant scientific system from the late 19th century until SI displaced it in the mid-20th. The dyne survives in selected physics and astrophysics contexts, particularly in old astronomical force tables.

Two Absolute Pre-SI Systems

Both poundal and dyne were defined to avoid gravitational complications by adhering to F=ma in their respective unit systems. The poundal-to-dyne ratio (~13,825) reflects the unit-scale gap between FPS and CGS — pound much larger than gram, foot much larger than centimetre, combining for a four-order-of-magnitude force ratio.

Engineering Education Use

The poundal-to-dyne conversion appears almost exclusively in dynamics textbook exercises designed to demonstrate cross-system force-unit consistency. Modern engineering and physics work uses SI newtons; the poundal-to-dyne pair belongs to the history-of-mechanics curriculum and to specialist documentation that preserves pre-SI conventions.

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Brief History

The dyne was adopted in 1873 by the British Association for the Advancement of Science as part of the CGS absolute unit system. The poundal followed in 1879 (William Croft Marsh), extending the absolute approach to the imperial FPS system. Both systems flourished through the early 20th century before being progressively replaced by SI: officially in 1948 for the newton, and through the 1960s–70s for most teaching and engineering documentation.

Related

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FAQ

How many dynes are in one poundal?

One poundal equals exactly 13,825.4954376 dynes. The factor comes from 1 pdl = 0.138254954376 N × 10⁵ dyn per N.

What is the formula for converting poundals to dynes?

Multiply by 13,825.4954. So dyn = pdl × 13,825.4954. For example, 3.7 pdl × 13,825.4954 ≈ 51,154 dyn — the kind of small absolute force a textbook FPS-to-CGS exercise might use.

How do I convert dynes back to poundals?

Divide by 13,825.4954 (or multiply by 7.2330138 × 10⁻⁵). For example, 100,000 dyn ÷ 13,825.4954 ≈ 7.233 pdl — about the weight of 102 grams.

What is a poundal?

The poundal (pdl) is the absolute FPS (foot-pound-second) unit of force, defined by F=ma as the force that accelerates one pound of mass at one foot per second squared. 1 pdl = 1 lb·ft/s² = 0.138254954376 N exactly.

What is a dyne?

The dyne (dyn) is the absolute CGS (centimeter-gram-second) unit of force, defined as the force that accelerates one gram of mass at one centimeter per second squared. 1 dyn = 1 g·cm/s² = 10⁻⁵ N exactly.

Is the conversion exact?

Yes. Both units rest on defined SI constants: the international pound (0.45359237 kg exact), the foot (0.3048 m exact), and the gram and centimeter (defined exactly from the kilogram and metre). The conversion factor is therefore mathematically exact; the displayed decimal is rounded.

Why convert between absolute FPS and absolute CGS?

Both are pre-SI absolute force systems built around F=ma, used in engineering education to illustrate scale relationships. The conversion appears in dynamics textbook exercises and historical engineering references.

Why do both systems still exist?

Neither remains in active engineering use — both have been displaced by the SI newton. The poundal survives in select British engineering textbooks; the dyne in CGS-favouring physics and astrophysics. The cross-conversion sits firmly in historical and educational territory.

How many dynes are in 1 poundal?

1 pdl equals 13825.5 dyn.

How do you convert poundals to dynes?

Multiply the poundal value by 13825.5. Formula: dyn = pdl × 13,825.5.

How many dynes are in 5 poundals?

5 pdl = 69127.5 dyn.

How do you convert dynes back to poundals?

Use the inverse formula: pdl = dyn ÷ 13,825.5. For example, 1 dyn = 7.23301e-5 pdl.

What is the difference between Poundal and Dyn?

A poundal equals approximately 0.138255 newtons — the force needed to accelerate one pound-mass by one foot per second squared. A dyne equals exactly 10⁻⁵ newtons — the CGS unit of force, defined as the force needed to accelerate one gram by one centimeter per second squared.