Units of Force
F = ma is used to define the units of force in terms of the three basic units for mass, length, and time. The SI unit of force is called the newton (abbreviated N) and is the force needed to accelerate a 1-kg system at the rate of 1 m/s^2.
Units of Force
\({\mathbf{\text{F}}}_{\text{net}}=m\mathbf{\text{a}}\) is used to define the units of force in terms of the three basic units for mass, length, and time.
The SI unit of force is called the newton (abbreviated N) and is the force needed to accelerate a 1-kg system at the rate of \(1{\text{m/s}}^{2}\). That is, since \({\mathbf{\text{F}}}_{\text{net}}=m\mathbf{\text{a}}\),
While almost the entire world uses the newton for the unit of force, in the United States the most familiar unit of force is the pound (lb), where 1 N = 0.225 lb.
This lesson is part of:
Force and Newton's Laws of Motion