Why is force measured in pounds instead of Newton?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the use of the pound as a unit of force in various contexts, particularly in media representations, and the confusion surrounding its classification as a unit of mass versus a unit of force. Participants explore the implications of using imperial units versus SI units in different settings.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the use of pounds may be due to the target audience's familiarity with imperial units.
  • Others argue that the pound is primarily a unit of mass, questioning the accuracy of its use in describing force.
  • One participant clarifies that the pound-force is indeed a unit of force, while the pound (lb) typically refers to mass, and discusses the distinction between different types of pounds (avoirdupois vs. troy).
  • There is mention of the slug as a unit of mass, but its official status is debated.
  • Some participants express confusion about the terminology and the implications of using pounds in force measurements.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the classification of pounds as a unit of force or mass, and there are competing views regarding the appropriateness of using pounds in this context.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved issues regarding the definitions and distinctions between units of mass and force, as well as the implications of using different measurement systems.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in measurement systems, units of force and mass, and the implications of using imperial versus SI units may find this discussion relevant.

otomanb
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unit of force is Newton but...

For is measured in Newton but in National Geographic Special documentaries, we have usually heard them using unit "pound" like to determine force like
1) 500 pound bite force of dog
2) 1800 pounds bite force of hippo
Why they measure force in pounds not in Newton?
Thanks
 
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Maybe they feel their target audience is more comfortable using imperial units? or American units, whatever it's called.
 


This doesn't even seem correct, lb is a unit of mass, not force. I guess it's just them being sloppy?
 


MikeyW said:
This doesn't even seem correct, lb is a unit of mass, not force. I guess it's just them being sloppy?

Pound is a unit of force actually. The unit of mass is the 'Slug'.
 


@ MikeyW
ya lbs and kg are the units of mass, in SI(system International) but might be they are using some kind or older system of measurements
 


MikeyW said:
This doesn't even seem correct, lb is a unit of mass, not force. I guess it's just them being sloppy?
When used without any qualifier or context, the term pound denotes a unit of mass, specifically the avoirdupois pound. The abbreviation for this unit is lb. The pound-force is a unit of force. The abbreviation for this unit is lbf. Some use lbm as an abbreviation for the pound (mass) for consistency with the use of lbf for the pound-force.

Saying "500 pound bite force of dog" is perhaps a bit sloppy, but the "500 pound-force bite force of dog" sounds stilted. It is obvious from context that the pound being talked about in this sentence is the pound force.

There are multiple units of mass called the pound. A pound of gold weighs less than a pound of feathers, for example. Precious metals are weighed with Troy weight while feathers (along with most other things) are weighed with the Avoirdupois system. A troy pound is 12 troy ounces; the avoirdupois pound is 16 avoirdupois ounces.

Confused? This diagram might help. Then again, it might not.

400px-English_mass_units_graph.svg.png


Pengwuino said:
Maybe they feel their target audience is more comfortable using imperial units? or American units, whatever it's called.
United States customary systems of measurement. Imperial units are different. A US gallon is not the same as an imperial gallon, for example.

Pengwuino said:
Pound is a unit of force actually. The unit of mass is the 'Slug'.
See above. The slug is not an official unit.
 


@above
thanks you my all brothers thanks for the answers. God bless you and keep helping.
::otoman
 

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