The poncelet (symbol p) is an obsolete unit of power, once used in France and replaced by (ch,
metric horsepower
Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are th ...
). The unit was named after
Jean-Victor Poncelet
Jean-Victor Poncelet (; 1 July 1788 – 22 December 1867) was a French engineer and mathematician who served most notably as the Commanding General of the . He is considered a reviver of projective geometry, and his work ''Traité des propriétà ...
.
[François Cardarelli, ''Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures: Their Si Equivalences and Origins'', Springer, 2003, , page 527 ]
One poncelet is defined as the power required to raise a hundred-kilogram mass (
quintal
The quintal or centner is a historical unit of mass in many countries that is usually defined as 100 base units, such as pounds or kilograms. It is a traditional unit of weight in France, Portugal, and Spain and their former colonies. It is com ...
) at a velocity of one metre per second (100
kilogram-force
The kilogram-force (kgf or kgF), or kilopond (kp, from ), is a non-standard Gravitational metric system, gravitational metric unit of force. It is not accepted for use with the International System of Units (SI) and is deprecated for most uses. T ...
·m/s).
: 1 p = 980.665
W = {{sfrac, 4, 3 ch ≈ 1.315 hp (imperial horsepower)
References
Units of power
Obsolete units of measurement
Metrication in France