Foot-pound force

The foot-pound force, or simply foot-pound (symbol: ft·lb_f or ft·lb) is a unit of work or energy (a scalar) and also a unit of torque (a vector).

There is actually no such thing as "foot-pounds". The correct term is "pound-feet".Foot-pounds is still a very common term.

Unit of energy

One pound-foot is the amount of energy expended when a force of one pound acts through a distance of one foot along the direction of the force.

1 pound-foot is equivalent to:
* 1.3558179483314004 joules (exactly)
* 13558179.483314004 ergs (exactly)
* 12 inch-pound force (exactly)
* 192 inch-ounce force (exactly)
* 0.001285067 British Thermal Unit
* 0.323832 calorie
* 0.000323832 "food calorie," also called kcal or Calorie (capitalized)
* 32.174049 pound-foots
* 1.45688 x10^-5 mile-stones

Related units of power

The foot-pound force per minute (ft·lb_f/min), foot-pound force per second (ft·lb_f/s), and horsepower are units of power derived from the foot-pound force.

* 1 watt ≈ 44.25372896 ft·lb_f/min
* 1 horsepower (mechanical) = 33000 ft·lb_f/min = 550 lb-ft_f/s

Unit of torque

As a unit of torque, one pound-foot is the torque created by one pound force acting at a perpendicular distance of one foot from a pivot point.

1 pound-foot is equivalent to:
* 1.3558179483314004 newton meter (exactly)

See also

* Poundal
* Slug (mass)
* Units of energy
* Conversion of units