Kilonewtons v Kilos

whitingiom · 22 January 2003, 23:46

Can anyone with a bit of engineering nous help....

How much is a kilonewton in kilograms.

I was looking at buying a karabiner as a link betwixt trailer nad car, and wondered how many kilonewtons there are in say 1000kg.

Cheers

Jon

Gilligan · 23 January 2003, 07:15

A Newton (si unit for force) is approximately equal to the weight of a 0.1 kg object. Therefore one kilonewton is equal to about 100 kilograms. Isn't a carabiner one of those things mountain climbers use to hold their ropes? If so, I wouldn't recommend hitching your trailer to one.

John Kennett · 23 January 2003, 09:01

Jon

Tell us a bit more about what you are thinking of doing.

Is this to hang on to the trailer if the hitch fails? In which case I would use chain with a shackle, not a karabiner.

Is to activate the emergency brake if the hitch fails? In which case you'd probably be OK, but a simple spring clip is sufficient.

Is it to lower the trailer down a slip way? In which case there might possibly be an application for a karabiner.

Or D, none of the above

John

whitingiom · 23 January 2003, 13:54

A)

I will use chain with a shackle

Thanks

Jon

narked · 23 January 2003, 14:11

Newtons are Mass x Gravitational constant, which is about 9.81 here on good old Earth. 1kg = 9.81kN, and 1kN = 0.0981kg. As stated before, 10kN for each 1kg is about good enough.

Matt

DJL · 23 January 2003, 15:27

Quote:

Originally posted by narked
Newtons are Mass x Gravitational constant, which is about 9.81 here on good old Earth. 1kg = 9.81kN, and 1N = 0.0981kg. As stated before, 10kN for each 1kg is about good enough.

Matt

I think you mean 1kg = 9.81N, remembering that this is in a vertical plane.

If you are pulling an object horizontally then Newtons 2nd Law will apply.

narked · 23 January 2003, 16:55

Good point, it's Newtons not kiloNewtons. Out of practice with the physics, didn't bother with it in college this year, picked up the electronics instead.

Matt