kilopond

Kilopond (kp) is a unit of force used in the gravitational metric system, also known as the kilogram-force system. It is defined as the force exerted by gravity on a mass of one kilogram under standard gravity (g0 = 9.80665 m/s^2). Therefore, 1 kilopond equals 9.80665 newtons, and is sometimes written as 1 kgf or, less commonly, 1 kp.

Origins of the kilopond lie in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when engineers and scientists used the gravitational metric system to relate force to mass. The system expresses force as the weight of a given mass under standard Earth gravity, so the kilopond became a practical unit for weights, clamping forces, and other mechanical specifications. The term is still encountered in some historical literature and regional standards.

Current status: the kilopond is not an SI unit and has largely been superseded by the newton in modern scientific and engineering work. It remains in limited use in older standards, product specifications, or regional contexts, often under the abbreviation kgf. When precision is required, forces are expressed in newtons, with the relationship F (N) = mass (kg) × 9.80665.