Engineering converters
Moment of Force Converter
Convert newton metres, pound-force feet and other moment of force units.
Result
0.737562 lbf·ft
1 N·m = 0.737562 lbf·ft
All units for this value
| Unit | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Newton meter | N·m | 1 |
| Newton centimeter | N·cm | 100 |
| Millinewton meter | mN·m | 1000 |
| Kilonewton meter | kN·m | 0.001 |
| Dyne centimeter | dyn·cm | 10000000 |
| Gram-force centimeter | gf·cm | 10197.2 |
| Kilogram-force meter | kgf·m | 0.101972 |
| Kilogram-force centimeter | kgf·cm | 10.1972 |
| Ounce-force inch | ozf·in | 141.612 |
| Pound-force inch | lbf·in | 8.85075 |
| Pound-force foot | lbf·ft | 0.737562 |
| Kip-force foot | kipf·ft | 0.000737562 |
About this calculator
Moment of force, also called a turning moment, describes the rotational effect a force produces around a pivot point, calculated as force multiplied by the perpendicular distance to that pivot. This converter switches between SI units like newton metres, gravitational units like kilogram-force metres, and US customary units like pound-force feet, as used in statics and structural calculations.
How it works in plain English
A moment of force unit combines a force unit with a length unit, so the converter rescales both parts together using the newton metre as its shared anchor. It multiplies your entered value by a factor that converts your source unit into newton metres, then divides by a second factor to reach your chosen target unit. This keeps every conversion path consistent no matter which two units you select.
Some of these units are defined through gravitational force rather than a fixed force unit. A kilogram-force metre, for instance, is based on the force exerted by one kilogram of mass under standard gravity, 9.80665 m/s², which is why its conversion factor to newton metres equals that same number. Pound-force units follow a similar idea, tied to standard gravity acting on a pound of mass, which is different from moment of inertia's slug-based units.
Choose your source and target units from the from and to menus, enter a value, and the result updates immediately, alongside a table listing that same moment across every supported unit. A precision control adjusts the number of decimal places shown, and a swap button reverses the two selected units instantly, useful when checking a calculation in the opposite direction.
The formula
- value_in_target = value_in_source × (source factor to N·m) ÷ (target factor to N·m)
- 1 lbf·ft = 1.3558179483314004 N·m
- 1 lbf·in = 0.1129848290276167 N·m
- 1 kgf·m = 9.80665 N·m
- 1 kgf·cm = 0.0980665 N·m
Worked example
Suppose a statics problem gives a moment of 250 N·m, produced by a force acting on a lever arm, and asks for the equivalent in kilogram-force metres for a textbook that uses gravitational units. Divide by the kgf·m conversion factor: 250 ÷ 9.80665 = 25.4930 kgf·m, since one kgf·m equals 9.80665 N·m by definition.
Entering 250 into the N·m field with kgf·m selected as the target returns 25.4930 kgf·m immediately. As a sanity check, since one kgf·m is worth almost ten N·m, dividing 250 by roughly ten should land near 25, which matches the computed 25.4930 closely and confirms no digit was misplaced. The full unit table also shows this same moment equals about 184.43 lbf·ft and 2,213.11 lbf·in, all calculated from the one value entered into the from field.
Moment of force unit equivalents
| Unit | Equal to (N·m) |
|---|---|
| 1 N·m | 1 |
| 1 N·cm | 0.01 |
| 1 kN·m | 1,000 |
| 1 gf·cm | 0.0000980665 |
| 1 kgf·cm | 0.0980665 |
| 1 kgf·m | 9.80665 |
| 1 ozf·in | 0.0070615518 |
| 1 lbf·in | 0.1129848290 |
| 1 lbf·ft | 1.3558179483 |
| 1 kipf·ft | 1,355.8179483 |
Standard force and length unit definitions
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between moment of force and torque?
Physically, both describe the same rotational effect of a force applied at a distance from a pivot, and they use the same units. 'Moment of force' is the term generally preferred in statics and structural analysis, where it often describes a static balancing effect, while 'torque' is more common in mechanical and automotive contexts describing rotation, such as an engine or a tightened bolt.
Why is a kilogram-force metre tied to standard gravity?
A kilogram-force is defined as the force exerted by one kilogram of mass under standard gravity, 9.80665 m/s², rather than being a force unit in its own right like the newton. Because of that, converting kilogram-force metres to newton metres always involves multiplying or dividing by exactly 9.80665, the fixed standard gravity value.
Which unit is most common in US engineering documents?
Pound-force foot (lbf·ft) is the most widely used US customary unit for larger moments, such as structural beam calculations, while pound-force inch (lbf·in) is more common for smaller components. This converter includes both, along with kip-force feet for very large structural loads measured in thousands of pounds-force.
Can I see a moment converted into every unit at the same time?
Yes. After choosing your from and to units and entering a value, the results table below the main conversion shows that same moment expressed in every other supported unit at once, so you don't need to repeat the calculation separately for each one.
How do I reverse a conversion I just made?
Use the swap button next to the from and to menus, which instantly exchanges the two selected units while keeping your entered number in place. This recalculates the result in the opposite direction immediately, which is useful for double-checking a conversion or working backward from a known answer.
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