Convert Poundal (pdl) to Kilopound (kip) 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.
Kilopound (kip)
A kilopound, or kip, equals 1,000 pounds and is used primarily in structural engineering, especially in the United States. Loads, tensions, and compression forces in steel beams, concrete structures, and bridges are often expressed in kips. The kip allows engineers to avoid large numbers when expressing forces such as building loads or material stresses. In structural analysis software and construction documents, kips are ubiquitous. Despite not being a mass unit strictly speaking (it is often used as a force unit, kip-force), it remains central to American engineering practice.