6/17/2016

mechanicalengineeringPoundforce(lbf)vsPoundmass(lbm)EngineeringStackExchange

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Poundforce(lbf)vsPoundmass(lbm)
Given:
Mythermodynamicstextreadsasfollows:
InSIunits,theforceunitisthenewton(N ),anditisdefinedastheforcerequiredtoaccelerateamassof1 kgatarateof1

m
s

.IntheEnglish

system,theforceunitisthepoundforce(lbf )andisdefinedastheforcerequiredtoaccelerateamassof32.174 lbm (1slug)atarateof

1

ft
s

.Thatis...
m
1 N = 1 kg 1

ft
1 lbf = 32.174 lbm 1

Question:
Forallpracticalpurposes,suchasatSTPconditionsorclosetoitlikewhenwehavearoundedoffsealevelaccelerationduetogravityof
32.2

ft
s

(101 kP a) ,canIjustthinkofthelbf inthefollowingway...

ft
W = 1 lbf = 1 lbm 32.174

andthatfortheweightofanobjecthavingamassof1 kg(alsoatsealevel)inSIunitsas...
m
W = 9.81 N = 1 kg 9.81

Yesornoandwhy?
mechanicalengineering

thermodynamics international
editedApr11'15at19:12

706Astor
752

askedApr3'15at21:31

JulesManson
15

207

I'mnotsurewhat"STPconditions"means.Canyouclarify?AndyTApr7'15at12:14

1 @AndyTSTPstandsforStandardTemperatureandPressure.Ithasaprecisedefinition,butitbasicallymeans
roomtemperatureatsealevel.ChrisMuellerApr7'15at12:24

5Answers

Lbm

isnotthebaseunit.TheSlugisthebaseunit.

32.2lbm = 1slug

Toconvert1lbm tolbf :
1lbm

1slug
32.2lbm

32.2

ft
s

= 1lbf

Therefore1lbm willyield1lbf onEarthatSTP.

Thisvideodoesanexcellentjobofexplainingit.
editedDec2'15at19:58

answeredAug25'15at1:09

Air
http://engineering.stackexchange.com/questions/2300/poundforcelbfvspoundmasslbm

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6/17/2016

mechanicalengineeringPoundforce(lbf)vsPoundmass(lbm)EngineeringStackExchange
Air
2,243

JamesKoerlin
3

35

74

Thereseemstobesomeconfusionhere.IntheEnglish(orAmerican)systemthe"official"
measureofmassistheslug.Turnsoutthat32.2lbm=1slug.SotoplugintotheequationF=MA
youcanuseMinslugs,Ainft/secandFinlbf.And,assomeonesaid,at"standard"gravity1lbm
exerts1lbfonitssupport(itsweight).Ifyouaregoingtodoanysignificantcalculations,it'sbest,
inmyopinion,togetridofalllbmdesignationsandconverteverythingtoslugs.
answeredApr9'15at17:25

GaryCasey
61

Thetextbookisincomplete.Newton'sLawisusually writtenF = ma.TheSIunitofmassisthe

kg andthatofforceistheN .OneoftheadvantagesofSIisthatitclarifiesthedistinction
betweenmassandforce(especiallyweight).IntheoldBritishImperialsystemthereareseveral
options:
wecanmeasuremassinpounds_masslbmthecorrespondingforceunitistheseldom
usedpoundalpdl.
wecanmeasureforceinpounds_forcelbf thecorrespondingmassunitistheslug .
However,you'lloftenseelbmandlbf inthesamedocument.Thisisperfectlyacceptable:it's
equivalenttonormalisingNewton'sLawwiththegravitationalaccelerationtogiveF = ma/g .
It'sthefailuretostatethisthatleadstotheconfusion.
answeredAug25'15at11:18

rdt2
264

1poundmassisthatmassthatweighsonepoundin1ggravity.Formostpracticalcases,a
poundmassandapoundweightdefinethesameamountofstuffonthesurfaceoftheearth.
TodefineapoundmasswerearrangeNewton'slawofF=mAto
m=F/A
thenplugintheparticularstogetpoundmass:
1poundmass=(1poundforce)/(32.174ft/s)
answeredApr3'15at22:09

OlinLathrop
6,131

17

Absolutely,yesyoucan.Infact,themassofaslugisderivedfromtheaccelerationdue
togravity .
editedApr7'15at13:15

answeredApr7'15at12:17

AndyT
1,265

20

http://engineering.stackexchange.com/questions/2300/poundforcelbfvspoundmasslbm

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