Convert Newtons to Femtonewtons
Convert Newtons (N) to Femtonewtons (fN) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
fN = N × 1000000000000000
About Newtons
The newton (N) is the SI unit of force - the force to accelerate 1 kg at 1 m/s², defined as 1 N = 1 kg·m/s². Named after Sir Isaac Newton and adopted in 1960. One newton is the weight of a ~102 g apple. Everyday forces: gentle finger press ~1 N; handshake 150-200 N; human bite 500-700 N; car emergency braking 5,000-15,000 N; turbofan engine thrust ~300 kN; Boeing 747 lift at cruise ~2,800 kN. The newton is universally used in science and engineering worldwide. 1 N = 1 kg·m/s² = 0.22481 lbf.
About Femtonewtons
A femtonewton (fN) is 10⁻¹⁵ N - the force scale of single-molecule biology. RNA polymerase exerts a stall force of ~14-25 fN while transiting DNA at 10-50 bp/s. Myosin V motor proteins step 37 nm with ~1-3 fN per head. The viscous drag on a 100 nm nanoparticle moving at 1 µm/s through cytoplasm is ~0.2-0.5 fN. Optical tweezers with back-focal-plane detection resolve sub-femtonewton forces, enabling measurement of single-enzyme output. AFM receptor-ligand unbinding (e.g., biotin-streptavidin) gives adhesion forces of 100-300 fN. 1 fN = 10⁻¹⁵ N.
Quick Reference Table
| Newtons (N) | Femtonewtons (fN) |
|---|---|
| 1 N | 1 × 1015 fN |
| 2 N | 2 × 1015 fN |
| 5 N | 5 × 1015 fN |
| 10 N | 1 × 1016 fN |
| 25 N | 2.5 × 1016 fN |
| 50 N | 5 × 1016 fN |
| 100 N | 1 × 1017 fN |