View source for Pound (force)

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The '''pound-force''', or simply '''pound''' (abbreviations: lb, lb<sub>f</sub>, or lbf), is a unit of force. The pound-force is about equal to the [[gravitational force]] applied on a [[mass]] of one [[Pound (mass)|pound]] on the surface of Earth. Since the [[18th century]], the unit has been used in low-precision [[measurement]]s.

In the 20th century, people needed a more precise definition. An official value for acceleration due to gravity was needed. Today, as decided by the [[CGPM|General Conference on Weights and Measures]], [[standard gravity]] is usually taken to be {{cvt|9.80665|m/s2}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www1.bipm.org/en/CGPM/db/3/2/ |title=Declaration on the unit of mass and on the definition of weight; conventional value of gn |access-date=2011-12-12 |publisher=BIPM: Bureau International des Poids et Mesures |archive-date=2012-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207064142/http://www1.bipm.org/en/CGPM/db/3/2/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Related pages==
*[[Foot-pound force]]

== References ==
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[[Category:Imperial units]]
[[Category:Units of force]]

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