Convert Piconewtons to Dynes
Convert Piconewtons (pN) to Dynes (dyn) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
dyn = pN × 1.000000000e-7
About Piconewtons
A piconewton (pN) is 10⁻¹² N - the force scale of molecular biology and nanotechnology. Optical and magnetic tweezers apply 0.1-100 pN forces to single DNA strands and protein complexes. Unzipping one DNA base pair requires ~10-15 pN; a kinesin motor protein stalls at ~7 pN. AFM cantilevers resolve piconewton van der Waals forces between single atoms and surfaces. The covalent C-C bond ruptures under ~4,000 pN in controlled AFM pulling experiments. These forces underpin mechanobiology, drug-target mechanics, and nanofabrication. 1 pN = 10⁻¹² N.
About Dynes
The dyne (dyn) is the CGS unit of force - the force to accelerate 1 g at 1 cm/s² - exactly 10⁻⁵ N. Surface tension is universally expressed in dyn/cm (= mN/m): water 72.8 dyn/cm; mercury 487 dyn/cm; ethanol 22.1 dyn/cm. Astrophysics and plasma physics papers use dyn/cm² for pressure; solar photon radiation pressure at Earth's orbit is ~4.56 × 10⁻⁵ dyn/cm². The dyne pairs naturally with other CGS units (poise, erg, gauss), which is why it persists in stellar modelling and X-ray binary spectra literature. 1 dyn = 10⁻⁵ N = 10 µN.
Quick Reference Table
| Piconewtons (pN) | Dynes (dyn) |
|---|---|
| 1 pN | 1 × 10-7 dyn |
| 2 pN | 2 × 10-7 dyn |
| 5 pN | 5 × 10-7 dyn |
| 10 pN | 1 × 10-6 dyn |
| 25 pN | 2.5 × 10-6 dyn |
| 50 pN | 5 × 10-6 dyn |
| 100 pN | 1 × 10-5 dyn |