Kilogram-force

The kilogram-force (from Latin pondus, 'weight' ) is an outdated, non -compliant SI unit of force. It was a basic unit of the technical system of measurement. The kilogram-force is by law since January 1, 1978 in Germany not allowed for the specification of power and was replaced by the Newton.

A kilopond is the force exerted by the gravitational acceleration at the surface of a mass of one kilogram. Here, the value of the standard acceleration is used. It follows:

As with the kilogram, the base unit is as a thousand times the apparent basic unit Pond, which corresponds to the weight of one gram defined. Decimal multiples and parts are not made by the unit kilogram-force, but by the unit Pond.

A kilogram-force should be the force ( in his Introduction), which is exerted (from highest density, ie, at approximately 4 ° C) by the gravitational acceleration on the Earth's surface on a cubic decimeter of water. Since gravity is location-dependent, also was above sea level and set 45 degrees latitude. Later, the standard acceleration was used, which was recorded at the third General Conference of Weights and Measures.

The kilogram-force was in the now outdated technical measurement system as originally kilograms, to distinguish from the " mass of the kilogram " of the physical CGS system as a force kilogram (kg, kg * kgp, kgf kgf) respectively.

Problems of definition

A mass of 1 kg experiences in the Middle on Earth at sea level, the weight force of 1 kgf. Colloquially, the mass of a body is often inaccurate as " weight " and kilogram virtually equated with kilopond. Since the acceleration of gravity, however, differs slightly from place to place, the weight force on 1 kg is usually not exactly 1 kp.

Some types of scales (eg, spring scales ) do not measure the mass but the force exerted by a mass weight. They are still scaled in kilograms. Can vary by up to about one percent without calibration while the reading at different locations of the earth only by local acceleration of gravity.

With the introduction of the International System of Units SI in 1960, the power unit kilogram-force was replaced by the unit Newton, which prevents, among other things of confusion between mass and weight, is much more reproducible and is embedded especially in a comprehensive approach to units.