I know this seems like a stupid question but I have always wondered, am I correct in thinking it is just a weight measurement just like stones for example, meaning it is the force of gravity on a given mass?
Does this mean 10 stone is equivalent to 140lbforce?
Does this mean 10 stone is equivalent to 140lbforce?
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To answer your question, both 'stones' and 'lbforce' are measures of weight and are equivalent. The conversion factor is 1 stone = 14 pounds according to the link below.
lbforce (or lbf) is simply a weight measurement, what you would read if you put the object on a scale.
It is dependent on the force of gravity at that location, since it is gravity that is pulling the object down onto the scale. And, the force of gravity differs around the world since the earth is not a perfect sphere, nor is the surface smooth. It all depends on your radial distance to the center of mass of the earth. So, any measure of weight is based on the local force of gravity.
Don't confuse weight with mass. In space, where there is no gravity an object will weigh nothing (lbforce = 0) but still has mass. From Newton's equation F=MA (force = mass * acceleration), the mass of an object is measured as the ratio of the force applied to it divided by the resultant acceleration.
It can be a bit confusing. Units of lbf (pound force) and lbm (pound mass) are measures of weight and mass respectively, but are not the same thing. A kilogram is a measure of mass, but is often used as a measure of weight.
But, stones and lbforce are equivalent except for a scaling factor (conversion factor)
Hope this helps,
-Guru
lbforce (or lbf) is simply a weight measurement, what you would read if you put the object on a scale.
It is dependent on the force of gravity at that location, since it is gravity that is pulling the object down onto the scale. And, the force of gravity differs around the world since the earth is not a perfect sphere, nor is the surface smooth. It all depends on your radial distance to the center of mass of the earth. So, any measure of weight is based on the local force of gravity.
Don't confuse weight with mass. In space, where there is no gravity an object will weigh nothing (lbforce = 0) but still has mass. From Newton's equation F=MA (force = mass * acceleration), the mass of an object is measured as the ratio of the force applied to it divided by the resultant acceleration.
It can be a bit confusing. Units of lbf (pound force) and lbm (pound mass) are measures of weight and mass respectively, but are not the same thing. A kilogram is a measure of mass, but is often used as a measure of weight.
But, stones and lbforce are equivalent except for a scaling factor (conversion factor)
Hope this helps,
-Guru