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Poundal (pdl or pl) is the unit of force in the British absolute system of units, used in engineering. One poundal is the force that accelerates a mass of 1 pound at a rate of one foot per second per second. This force is equal to approximately 0.138255 newtons. Today newton, is the preferred unit of force in engineering and technical work. Poundal was invented in the 1870s by the British mathematician James Thomson.