Convert Newton-metre to Foot-pound
1 newton-metre = 0.7375621 foot-pound (ft·lbf). For example, 10 newton-metre = 7.375621 foot-pound and 100 newton-metre = 73.75621 foot-pound. Type any value below to convert newton-metre to foot-pound both ways — it runs entirely in your browser.
Torque vs energy: Both the newton-metre (N·m) and the foot-pound (ft·lbf / lbf·ft) are used for two different things — ENERGY (work done) and TORQUE (a twisting force). The conversion number is the same either way: 1 lbf·ft of torque = 1.3558 N·m, and 1 ft·lbf of energy = 1.3558 J, so the result above is correct whichever you mean. Just keep the meaning straight — you cannot turn a torque into an amount of energy (e.g. into kWh or calories); you only convert torque↔torque or energy↔energy.
Quick answer: Newton-metre to Foot-pound
1 Newton-metre = 0.7375621 Foot-pound (N·m → ft·lbf). To convert newton-metre to foot-pound, multiply by 0.7375621. To convert foot-pound to newton-metre, multiply by 1.355818. The converter at the top does this instantly and both ways; the sections below give the formula, worked examples, a full conversion chart and answers to the most common newton-metre-to-foot-pound questions.
How to convert Newton-metre to Foot-pound
To convert newton-metre to foot-pound, multiply the number of newton-metre by the conversion factor 0.7375621, because 1 N·m = 0.7375621 ft·lbf. The conversion is linear, so the same factor works for any value — whole numbers, decimals or fractions. For the reverse direction, 1 ft·lbf = 1.355818 N·m, so you divide by 0.7375621 (or multiply by 1.355818) to turn foot-pound back into newton-metre.
ft·lbf = N·m × 0.7375621 ·
N·m = ft·lbf × 1.355818
- Write down the value you want to convert, in newton-metre.
- Multiply it by 0.7375621.
- The result is the same area/length/quantity expressed in foot-pound.
Newton-metre to Foot-pound — worked examples
Each row shows the exact arithmetic so you can follow the conversion step by step. For example, 5 newton-metre is 3.687811 foot-pound because 5 N·m × 0.7375621 = 3.687811 ft·lbf.
| Newton-metre | Calculation | Foot-pound |
|---|---|---|
| 1 N·m | 1 N·m × 0.7375621 = 0.7375621 ft·lbf | 0.7375621 ft·lbf |
| 2 N·m | 2 N·m × 0.7375621 = 1.475124 ft·lbf | 1.475124 ft·lbf |
| 3 N·m | 3 N·m × 0.7375621 = 2.212686 ft·lbf | 2.212686 ft·lbf |
| 5 N·m | 5 N·m × 0.7375621 = 3.687811 ft·lbf | 3.687811 ft·lbf |
| 7 N·m | 7 N·m × 0.7375621 = 5.162935 ft·lbf | 5.162935 ft·lbf |
| 10 N·m | 10 N·m × 0.7375621 = 7.375621 ft·lbf | 7.375621 ft·lbf |
| 12 N·m | 12 N·m × 0.7375621 = 8.850746 ft·lbf | 8.850746 ft·lbf |
| 15 N·m | 15 N·m × 0.7375621 = 11.06343 ft·lbf | 11.06343 ft·lbf |
| 20 N·m | 20 N·m × 0.7375621 = 14.75124 ft·lbf | 14.75124 ft·lbf |
| 25 N·m | 25 N·m × 0.7375621 = 18.43905 ft·lbf | 18.43905 ft·lbf |
| 50 N·m | 50 N·m × 0.7375621 = 36.87811 ft·lbf | 36.87811 ft·lbf |
| 100 N·m | 100 N·m × 0.7375621 = 73.75621 ft·lbf | 73.75621 ft·lbf |
Common Newton-metre to Foot-pound conversions
These are the newton-metre-to-foot-pound values people look up most often. Every figure is computed from the exact factor, so you can rely on them for quick reference:
- 1 newton-metre = 0.7375621 foot-pound
- 2 newton-metre = 1.475124 foot-pound
- 2.5 newton-metre = 1.843905 foot-pound
- 3 newton-metre = 2.212686 foot-pound
- 4 newton-metre = 2.950249 foot-pound
- 5 newton-metre = 3.687811 foot-pound
- 6 newton-metre = 4.425373 foot-pound
- 7 newton-metre = 5.162935 foot-pound
- 8 newton-metre = 5.900497 foot-pound
- 9 newton-metre = 6.638059 foot-pound
- 10 newton-metre = 7.375621 foot-pound
- 12 newton-metre = 8.850746 foot-pound
- 15 newton-metre = 11.06343 foot-pound
- 20 newton-metre = 14.75124 foot-pound
- 25 newton-metre = 18.43905 foot-pound
- 30 newton-metre = 22.12686 foot-pound
- 50 newton-metre = 36.87811 foot-pound
- 75 newton-metre = 55.31716 foot-pound
- 100 newton-metre = 73.75621 foot-pound
- 200 newton-metre = 147.5124 foot-pound
- 500 newton-metre = 368.7811 foot-pound
- 1000 newton-metre = 737.5621 foot-pound
Newton-metre to Foot-pound conversion chart (both directions)
The chart below converts newton-metre to foot-pound and foot-pound to newton-metre side by side, so it works whichever way you need. 1 newton-metre = 0.7375621 foot-pound, and 1 foot-pound = 1.355818 newton-metre.
| Newton-metre → Foot-pound | Foot-pound → Newton-metre |
|---|---|
| 0.25 N·m = 0.1843905 ft·lbf | 0.25 ft·lbf = 0.3389545 N·m |
| 0.5 N·m = 0.3687811 ft·lbf | 0.5 ft·lbf = 0.677909 N·m |
| 1 N·m = 0.7375621 ft·lbf | 1 ft·lbf = 1.355818 N·m |
| 2 N·m = 1.475124 ft·lbf | 2 ft·lbf = 2.711636 N·m |
| 3 N·m = 2.212686 ft·lbf | 3 ft·lbf = 4.067454 N·m |
| 4 N·m = 2.950249 ft·lbf | 4 ft·lbf = 5.423272 N·m |
| 5 N·m = 3.687811 ft·lbf | 5 ft·lbf = 6.77909 N·m |
| 6 N·m = 4.425373 ft·lbf | 6 ft·lbf = 8.134908 N·m |
| 7 N·m = 5.162935 ft·lbf | 7 ft·lbf = 9.490726 N·m |
| 8 N·m = 5.900497 ft·lbf | 8 ft·lbf = 10.84654 N·m |
| 9 N·m = 6.638059 ft·lbf | 9 ft·lbf = 12.20236 N·m |
| 10 N·m = 7.375621 ft·lbf | 10 ft·lbf = 13.55818 N·m |
| 12 N·m = 8.850746 ft·lbf | 12 ft·lbf = 16.26982 N·m |
| 15 N·m = 11.06343 ft·lbf | 15 ft·lbf = 20.33727 N·m |
| 20 N·m = 14.75124 ft·lbf | 20 ft·lbf = 27.11636 N·m |
| 25 N·m = 18.43905 ft·lbf | 25 ft·lbf = 33.89545 N·m |
| 30 N·m = 22.12686 ft·lbf | 30 ft·lbf = 40.67454 N·m |
| 40 N·m = 29.50249 ft·lbf | 40 ft·lbf = 54.23272 N·m |
| 50 N·m = 36.87811 ft·lbf | 50 ft·lbf = 67.7909 N·m |
| 75 N·m = 55.31716 ft·lbf | 75 ft·lbf = 101.6863 N·m |
| 100 N·m = 73.75621 ft·lbf | 100 ft·lbf = 135.5818 N·m |
| 150 N·m = 110.6343 ft·lbf | 150 ft·lbf = 203.3727 N·m |
| 200 N·m = 147.5124 ft·lbf | 200 ft·lbf = 271.1636 N·m |
| 250 N·m = 184.3905 ft·lbf | 250 ft·lbf = 338.9545 N·m |
| 500 N·m = 368.7811 ft·lbf | 500 ft·lbf = 677.909 N·m |
| 1000 N·m = 737.5621 ft·lbf | 1000 ft·lbf = 1,355.818 N·m |
Newton-metre vs Foot-pound: which is bigger?
A foot-pound is the larger unit: one foot-pound equals 1.355818 newton-metres. Put another way, you need 1.355818 newton-metres to make a single foot-pound.
What is a Newton-metre? History, origin and usage
The newton-metre honours Isaac Newton (1642-1727), whose laws of motion define force, and it is built directly from two SI units — the newton of force and the metre of distance. It leads a double life: as energy (work = force × distance moved) it equals exactly one joule, while as torque (a turning effort = force × lever arm) it is a separate physical quantity.
In everyday engineering the newton-metre is overwhelmingly a TORQUE unit — wheel-nut and bolt tightening specifications, engine output and tool ratings are quoted in N·m. As an energy unit it is interchangeable with the joule, but standards bodies discourage that usage to avoid mixing up turning effort with energy.
Although a newton-metre of torque and a joule of energy share identical SI base units (kg·m²·s⁻²), torque does not “convert” into joules, kilowatt-hours or calories — it is a vector quantity (a cross product), whereas energy is a scalar (a dot product). That is why a torque wrench is marked in N·m, never in joules.
What is a Foot-pound? History, origin and usage
The foot-pound is a traditional British and American unit of work, defined as the energy transferred when one pound-force acts through a distance of one foot. It predates the metric joule and grew out of practical engineering in the imperial system, where force was measured in pounds-force and distance in feet.
The foot-pound survives in US engineering and especially in firearms ballistics, where the muzzle energy of a bullet is almost always quoted in foot-pounds. Its near-twin, the pound-foot (lbf·ft), is the everyday US unit of torque for engines and fasteners.
One foot-pound is about 1.356 joules — roughly the energy needed to lift a one-pound weight one foot. The foot-pound of energy and the pound-foot of torque carry the same number but describe different quantities, so careful writers add “of energy” or “of torque” to avoid confusion.
Convert 1 Newton-metre to other units
It can help to see a newton-metre next to the other units it is commonly compared with. One newton-metre (N·m) is equal to:
| 1 Newton-metre equals | Unit |
|---|---|
| 1 J | Joule |
| 0.001 kJ | Kilojoule |
| 0.000001 MJ | Megajoule |
| 0.0002777778 Wh | Watt-hour |
| 0.0000002777778 kWh | Kilowatt-hour |
| 0.0000000002777778 MWh | Megawatt-hour |
| 0.7375621 ft·lbf | Foot-pound |
| 6,241,509,000,000 MeV | Megaelectronvolt |
| 0.2390057 cal | Calorie |
| 0.0002390057 kcal | Kilocalorie |
| 0.0009478171 BTU | British Thermal Unit |
Convert 1 Foot-pound to other units
One foot-pound (ft·lbf) is equal to:
| 1 Foot-pound equals | Unit |
|---|---|
| 1.355818 J | Joule |
| 1.355818 N·m | Newton-metre |
| 0.001355818 kJ | Kilojoule |
| 0.000001355818 MJ | Megajoule |
| 0.0003766161 Wh | Watt-hour |
| 0.0000003766161 kWh | Kilowatt-hour |
| 0.0000000003766161 MWh | Megawatt-hour |
| 8,462,350,000,000 MeV | Megaelectronvolt |
| 0.3240483 cal | Calorie |
| 0.0003240483 kcal | Kilocalorie |
| 0.001285067 BTU | British Thermal Unit |
Tips for converting Newton-metre to Foot-pound
- To go from newton-metre to foot-pound, multiply by 0.7375621; to go back, divide by 0.7375621 (or multiply by 1.355818).
- For a quick mental estimate, remember that 1 newton-metre ≈ 0.7375621 foot-pound, so 10 newton-metre ≈ 7.375621 foot-pound.
- The converter above keeps full precision; the tables round for readability, so use the tool for exact figures.
- Both fields update live as you type — change either side to convert in that direction.
How to use this Newton-metre to Foot-pound converter
Type a number into the Newton-metre field and the equivalent in Foot-pound appears instantly — there is no “convert” button to press and nothing is sent to a server, so it works offline once the page has loaded and is safe for any data. You can also type into the Foot-pound field to convert the other way (foot-pound to newton-metre). Use the swap control to flip the two units, and copy the result with a single click. Because the calculation runs in your browser with full floating-point precision, the converter is more exact than the rounded figures shown in the reference chart above — use the chart for quick look-ups and the tool for precise work.
Accuracy and method
Every figure on this page — the formula, the worked examples, the conversion chart and the “convert to other units” tables — is computed from a single verified conversion factor (1 N·m = 0.7375621 ft·lbf), never copied from a hand-typed lookup table that could drift. That factor is derived from each unit’s definition in terms of a common base unit, and an automated check re-verifies all of the site’s factors on every update, so the numbers here stay correct over time. This matters for newton-metre-to-foot-pound conversions because a small rounding error in a published table compounds quickly at larger quantities; computing from the exact factor avoids that.
Sources
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the SI — publishes the exact SI equivalents of the customary energy units. The foot-pound force is exactly 1.355 817 948 331 4 joules — it follows from the foot and the pound-force together, not from the yard-and-pound length agreement — and the International Table BTU is exactly 1 055.055 852 62 joules. Both exact values are what this page computes with.
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure) — the defining document for the SI, published by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. It fixes the base unit that this conversion resolves to, which is why the factor here can be exact rather than approximate.
Frequently asked questions
- How many foot-pound are in 1 newton-metre?
- 1 newton-metre = 0.7375621 foot-pound (ft·lbf). To convert any number of newton-metre to foot-pound, multiply by 0.7375621.
- How do I convert newton-metre to foot-pound?
- Multiply the number of newton-metre by 0.7375621. For example, 10 newton-metre = 10 × 0.7375621 = 7.375621 foot-pound, and 25 newton-metre = 18.43905 foot-pound.
- How many newton-metre are in 1 foot-pound?
- 1 foot-pound = 1.355818 newton-metre. So to convert foot-pound back to newton-metre, multiply by 1.355818.
- What is the formula to convert newton-metre to foot-pound?
- foot-pound = newton-metre × 0.7375621. The reverse formula is newton-metre = foot-pound × 1.355818.
- How much is 100 newton-metre in foot-pound?
- 100 newton-metre = 73.75621 foot-pound. (And 1000 newton-metre = 737.5621 foot-pound.)
- Which is bigger, a newton-metre or a foot-pound?
- A foot-pound is larger: 1 foot-pound = 1.355818 newton-metre.
- Is this newton-metre to foot-pound converter accurate?
- Yes — every value is computed from the exact 0.7375621 ft·lbf per N·m factor (not rounded look-up tables), and the factors are re-verified automatically on every update.
- Can I convert foot-pound to newton-metre too?
- Yes. The converter works both ways — enter a value in either field. 1 foot-pound = 1.355818 newton-metre.