foot pound-force/second Unit Converter

Definition of foot pound-force/second unit

Foot-pound-force per second is a unit of power equal to the rate of transferring or expending one foot-pound-force of work each second. It equals approximately 1.355817948 watts and is commonly written ft·lbf/s.

History of foot pound-force/second unit

The unit combines the foot and pound-force, measures inherited from British and American engineering practice, with the second, the SI base unit of time. It arose from the mechanical definition of power as work divided by time, alongside the better-known horsepower. Although James Watt popularized horsepower in the eighteenth century, engineers also expressed small power outputs directly in foot-pounds-force per second. The unit remained useful in traditional technical literature, but modern standards generally favor watts. Its conversion follows from one foot-pound-force equaling approximately 1.355817948 joules.

Applications of foot pound-force/second unit

Today, foot-pound-force per second appears mainly in legacy engineering documents, machinery specifications, and educational discussions of non-SI power units. It can describe the power delivered by mechanical systems, such as hoists, engines, or rotating equipment, when force and distance are measured in customary units. Technicians usually convert it to watts for international reporting, calculations, and comparison.

Complete list of foot pound-force/second unit conversion