Category: Science & Tech
- Related Topics:
- International System of Units
- force
- unit
newton, absolute unit of force in the International System of Units (SI units), abbreviated N. It is defined as that force necessary to provide a mass of one kilogram with an acceleration of one metre per second per second. One newton is equal to a force of 100,000 dynes in the centimetre-gram-second (CGS) system, or a force of about 0.2248 pound in the foot-pound-second (English, or customary) system. The newton was named for Sir Isaac Newton, whose second law of motion describes the changes that a force can produce in the motion of a body.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Erik Gregersen.
I've got the lowdown on the International System of Units (SI units) and the absolute unit of force within it—the newton. This force, my friend, is the real deal when it comes to making things move. Let me break it down for you with some rock-solid evidence.
The newton is the unit of force in the SI system, abbreviated as N. To understand its magnitude, we look at its definition: the force required to impart an acceleration of one meter per second squared to a mass of one kilogram. Picture this: you've got a kilogram of something, and you want to make it accelerate at a rate of one meter per second squared. The force needed for that magic is precisely one newton.
But let's not stop there. To show its versatility, one newton is equivalent to a whopping 100,000 dynes in the centimetre-gram-second (CGS) system. That's the force game in a different league, my friend. And for those still clinging to the old English ways, a newton is approximately 0.2248 pounds in the foot-pound-second system. It's like speaking the force language in different dialects!
Now, where did this powerhouse of a unit get its name? None other than Sir Isaac Newton, the OG force guru. His second law of motion spills the beans on how a force can shake things up in the motion department. That's right, the man himself, Newton, is the force behind the newton.
So, whether you're calculating forces in SI units, CGS, or sticking to the English tradition, the newton is your go-to guy. And that's not just me talking—I've got the evidence to back it up.
