Newton

This article is about the SI unit of force. For other uses see Newton (disambiguation)

In physics, a compound SI unit, the newton (symbol: N) is the unit of force, named for Sir Isaac Newton in recognition of his work on classical mechanics. It was adopted by the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) in 1960. It is defined as the amount of force required to accelerate a one kilogram mass at a rate of one meter per second per second.

Its dimensions in SI base units are m·kg·s^-2.

It is also the unit of weight, as weight is the force acting between two objects due to gravity. A mass of one kilogram, at the surface of the earth, has a weight of exactly 9.806 65 newton. Conversely, a 102 gram apple would weigh one newton.

See also: dyne, the unit of force of the (mostly obsolete) CGS system