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Glite Dictionary
foot-poundal

foot-poundal

9.9
A unit for measuring work when a force moves something one foot
  • noun
  • /ˈfʊtˌpaʊndəl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : pie-libra
  • One foot-poundal is defined as the work done by one poundal acting through one foot.

Examples

  • In older textbooks, work was sometimes measured in foot-poundals instead of joules.

  • One foot-poundal is a relatively small unit compared to the joule.

  • The engineer calculated the torque in foot-poundals for the rotating shaft.

  • The engineer calculated the total energy in foot-poundals.

  • In older textbooks, work was sometimes measured in foot-poundals instead of joules.

  • One foot-poundal is a relatively small unit compared to the joule.

  • The engineer calculated the torque in foot-poundals for the rotating shaft.

Surface Forms

foot-poundal singular
foot-poundals plural

Morphology

foot-poundal = foot + poundal (transparent) = foot + poundal

The term is a straightforward compound of two unit names ('foot' and 'poundal'), so its meaning follows directly from the components.

Etymology

Foot-poundal combines foot ('a unit of length') and poundal, a name built from pound ('a unit of weight'), so it literally names the amount of 'work' done when a force of one poundal moves something one foot.