Convert Poundal (pdl) to Slug (slug) 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.
Slug (slug)
The slug is a unit of mass in the English engineering system, defined such that a slug accelerated at 1 ft/s² experiences a force of 1 pound-force. Numerically, a slug is about 14.5939 kilograms. The slug resolves confusion between mass and force in imperial units by clearly separating pounds-force (lbf) from pounds-mass (lb). In dynamics problems involving Newton's laws, slugs provide a consistent mass measurement within the imperial framework. Although uncommon outside engineering physics education, the slug plays an important conceptual role in bridging imperial and SI thinking.