Convert Poundal (pdl) to Atomic Mass Unit (u) instantly.
About these units
Poundal (pdl)
The poundal is the unit of force in the foot–pound–second (FPS) system, defined as the force that accelerates a one-pound mass at one foot per second squared. Although a force unit, it interacts with mass units in engineering contexts similarly to inertial mass units. Historically, poundals appeared in older physics textbooks and engineering references before the widespread adoption of SI units. Their use has declined dramatically, but they remain part of the history of classical mechanics education. The poundal exemplifies how many different systems attempted to rationalize force, mass, and acceleration before the international community converged on the SI newton.
Atomic Mass Unit (u)
The atomic mass unit (u) is defined as exactly 1/12 the mass of a neutral carbon-12 atom, which makes it approximately 1.66053906660 × 10⁻²⁷ kilograms. This definition allows scientists to express atomic and molecular masses in a convenient, intuitive scale that aligns with the structure of the periodic table. By anchoring the unit to carbon-12, chemists and physicists gained a universal reference point that harmonizes molecular weight, relative isotopic abundance, and mass spectroscopy results. The atomic mass unit effectively normalizes the complexity of atomic masses into whole-number or near-whole-number values for most nuclei. In chemistry, u is indispensable for calculating molar masses, reaction stoichiometry, and isotopic compositions. It is also used across nuclear physics, astrophysics, and biophysics, demonstrating the universality of atomic-scale measurement.