About

In structural engineering and load testing, force is often described in kgf (kilogram-force), a unit intuitive to human experience with weight, whereas physics uses N (Newtons). This tool performs the precise conversion between the SI derived unit of force and the gravitational metric unit.

It is important to distinguish this from mass. 1 kg is mass; 1 kgf is the force that mass exerts in standard gravity. This converter uses the standard acceleration due to gravity (g_n) for high-precision results required in safety calculations for cables, anchors, and hydraulic presses.

Formulas

The relationship is defined by Newton's Second Law (F = ma). One kilogram-force is the force exerted by one kilogram of mass in a standard gravitational field.

F_kgf = F_N9.80665

Reference Data

Force (N)	Force (kgf)	Relation
1 N	0.10197 kgf	1 / 9.80665
9.80665 N	1 kgf	Standard Gravity
100 N	10.197 kgf	≈ 10 kg weight
1000 N (1 kN)	101.97 kgf	≈ 100 kg weight

Frequently Asked Questions

Almost. daN (decaNewton) is 10 Newtons. Since 1 kgf is roughly 9.8 Newtons, 1 daN is approximately 1.02 kgf. They are often used interchangeably in rough estimations for cargo lashing.

kgf is easier to visualize. If a rope has a breaking strength of 500 kgf, you know it can lift a 500 kg mass. If it says 4900 N, you have to do mental math to realize that's also 500 kg.