Convert Piconewtons to Femtonewtons
Convert Piconewtons (pN) to Femtonewtons (fN) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
fN = pN × 1000
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 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
| Piconewtons (pN) | Femtonewtons (fN) |
|---|---|
| 1 pN | 1000 fN |
| 2 pN | 2000 fN |
| 5 pN | 5000 fN |
| 10 pN | 10000 fN |
| 25 pN | 25000 fN |
| 50 pN | 50000 fN |
| 100 pN | 100000 fN |