Convert Poundal to Giganewtons
Convert Poundal (pdl) to Giganewtons (GN) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
GN = pdl × 1.382549544e-10
About Poundal
The poundal (pdl) is the force unit of the foot-pound-second absolute system - the force to accelerate 1 pound at 1 ft/s² - approximately 0.1383 N. Introduced in 1877 by Thomson and Tait as the FPS analogue of the CGS dyne (1 dyn = 1 g·cm/s²; 1 pdl = 1 lb·ft/s²). The poundal is distinct from pound-force: since standard gravity = 32.174 ft/s², 1 lbf = 32.174 pdl. It survives in older British engineering texts and early 20th-century thermodynamics literature, but is otherwise obsolete. 1 pdl = 0.138254954376 N = 1/32.174 lbf.
About Giganewtons
One giganewton (GN) is 10⁹ N ≈ 100,000 metric tonnes-force - the scale of geophysically significant forces. Earth-Moon gravitational attraction is ~198 GN, driving tidal forces. The Himalayan collision zone transmits hundreds of GN per km of plate boundary. The Hoover Dam's structural dead load is ~67 GN. For comparison, the entire Saturn V launch thrust was only 33.4 MN = 0.033 GN, illustrating that giganewtons are truly planetary in scale. 1 GN = 1,000 MN = 10⁹ N = 224,800 kips.
Quick Reference Table
| Poundal (pdl) | Giganewtons (GN) |
|---|---|
| 1 pdl | 1.383 × 10-10 GN |
| 2 pdl | 2.765 × 10-10 GN |
| 5 pdl | 6.913 × 10-10 GN |
| 10 pdl | 1.383 × 10-9 GN |
| 25 pdl | 3.456 × 10-9 GN |
| 50 pdl | 6.913 × 10-9 GN |
| 100 pdl | 1.383 × 10-8 GN |