N to kg Converter
A bathroom scale shows mass, but a force sensor shows newtons. This page links the two.
Quick answer: multiply the value in Newtons by 0.10197. For example, 10 Newtons is 1.02 kg, 50 Newtons is 5.099 kg and 100 Newtons is 10.197 kg.
The Newtons to kg formula
Weight is a force, found by multiplying mass by gravity, 9.80665 m/s².
So to find the mass from a force, divide the newtons by 9.80665 (Wikipedia: Kilogram-force).
Take 10 Newtons. Multiply by 0.10197. The answer is 1.02 kg.
Take 50 Newtons. Multiply by 0.10197. The answer is 5.099 kg.
Newtons and kilograms
A newton (N) is a unit of force.
A kilogram (kg) is a unit of mass.
The factor 0.10197 joins the two.
How to convert Newtons to kg step by step
- Write down the value in Newtons.
- Multiply it by 0.10197.
- The answer is in kg.
- Check it against the chart above.
Example 1: 10 Newtons
- Start with 10 Newtons.
- 10 × 0.10197 = 1.02.
- The result is 1.02 kg.
10 Newtons = 1.02 kg
Example 2: 50 Newtons
- Start with 50 Newtons.
- 50 × 0.10197 = 5.099.
- The result is 5.099 kg.
50 Newtons = 5.099 kg
Example 3: 100 Newtons
- Start with 100 Newtons.
- 100 × 0.10197 = 10.197.
- The result is 10.197 kg.
100 Newtons = 10.197 kg
This page assumes standard gravity, so a real scale may differ by a small amount.
Newtons to kg conversion table
| Newtons | kg | lbf |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Newtons | 1.02 kg | 2.248 lbf |
| 50 Newtons | 5.099 kg | 11.24 lbf |
| 100 Newtons | 10.197 kg | 22.481 lbf |
| 500 Newtons | 50.986 kg | 112.4 lbf |
| 1,000 Newtons | 101.97 kg | 224.81 lbf |
| 2,500 Newtons | 254.93 kg | 562.02 lbf |
| 1 Newton | 0.102 kg | 0.2248 lbf |
The highlighted row, 10 Newtons, is the default of the converter. The last column gives lbf.
A quick mental shortcut for Newtons to kg
Divide by 10, then add 2 percent.
So 500 N is 50 kg plus 1, about 51 kg.
What Newtons measures
A newton (N) is a unit of force.
Here it is the pull of gravity on an object near Earth (Wikipedia: Newton (unit)).
What kg measures
A kilogram (kg) is a unit of mass.
The answer is the mass that would weigh that many newtons on Earth.
Worked example: 500 Newtons
500 Newtons times the factor gives 50.986 kg.
Check it by dividing 50.986 by the factor, which returns 500.
Worked example: 100 Newtons
100 Newtons times the factor gives 10.197 kg.
Check it by dividing 10.197 by the factor, which returns 100.
Mass and weight are not the same
Mass is how much matter an object has, while weight is the force of gravity on it.
Weight is a force, so it is measured in newtons, and mass is not (Wikipedia: Kilogram-force).
A quick estimate
Divide by 10 for a fast guess.
So 490 N is about 49 kg, and the exact answer is 49.97 kg.
Standard gravity is an average
The value 9.80665 m/s² is a standard figure, not the pull at every place.
So a real scale and this page can differ slightly.
Going the other way
To go back, multiply the kilograms by 9.80665.
So 10.197 kg is 100 N.
Check your answer
Your answer should be smaller than your starting number.
Reverse the sum and you should get your first number back.
More values at a glance
0.5 newtons is 0.051 kilograms. 2 newtons is 0.2039 kilograms. 5 newtons is 0.5099 kilograms.
10 newtons is 1.0197 kilograms. 25 newtons is 2.5493 kilograms. 100 newtons is 10.1972 kilograms.
Each answer is the input times 0.102. You can use the same factor for any value that is not listed here.
The unit sizes
One of the newtons equals 0.102 kilograms. One of the kilograms equals 9.8067 newtons.
If a result looks very large or very small, compare it with these sizes before you use it.
Checking in reverse
Take 1.0197 kilograms and divide by 0.102. You get back 10 newtons. If you do not, one of the numbers was typed or rounded wrongly.
Weight on other worlds
The answer uses Earth gravity. A force of 98 N is a weight of 10 kg on Earth, but on the Moon the same mass would weigh only about 16 N.
Quick conversion answers
| Conversion | Result |
|---|---|
| 10 Newtons | 1.02 kg |
| 50 Newtons | 5.099 kg |
| 100 Newtons | 10.197 kg |
| 500 Newtons | 50.986 kg |
| 1,000 Newtons | 101.97 kg |
| 2,500 Newtons | 254.93 kg |
Round numbers for Newton and kg
Use these round numbers to check your own answer. 50 Newton is 5.099 kg, 500 Newton is 50.99 kg and 5,000 Newton is 509.9 kg.
Going the other way, 5 kg is 49.03 Newton, 50 kg is 490.3 Newton and 500 kg is 4,903 Newton.
A round trip with Newton
Say you start with 370 Newton. It becomes 37.73 kg. Divide that by the factor and you land on 370 Newton again.
Now start from 250 kg instead. It becomes 2,452 Newton, and multiplying by the factor returns 250 kg.
Where this conversion is used
Lab staff turn force readings into mass.
Engineers size ropes and hooks for loads.
Students solve physics problems.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing up the direction. Going from Newtons to kg should make the number smaller.
- Treating N and kg as the same thing. One is a force and the other is a mass, so you must divide by 9.80665.
- Rounding gravity too early. Use 9.80665 for exact work and round only the final answer.
- Rounding too early. The answer for 10 Newtons is 1.02 kg. Cut it to 1 kg and you are off by about 2.0 percent, and the gap grows if you reuse it.
Related converters
Example: 1,000 Newtons
1,000 Newtons times the factor gives 101.97 kg.
Check it by dividing 101.97 by the factor, which returns 1,000.
Example: 2,500 Newtons
2,500 Newtons times the factor gives 254.93 kg.
Check it by dividing 254.93 by the factor, which returns 2,500.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert Newtons to kg?
Divide the newtons by 9.80665.
How many kg is 10 Newtons?
1.0197 kg.
How many kg is 50 Newtons?
5.0986 kg.
How many Newtons is 1 kg?
About 9.8066 Newtons.
How many kg is 10 Newtons?
1.0197 kg.
How many kg is 100 Newtons?
10.197 kg.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Kilogram-force (en.wikipedia.org)
- Wikipedia: Newton (unit) (en.wikipedia.org)
