dyne

The unit of force in the centimeter-gram-second absolute system, the force which imparts an acceleration of 1 centimeter per second per second to a body having a mass of 1 gram. Symbol, dyn. In SI units, one dyne = 10^-5 newton.

The name was first proposed in the first report¹ of the British Assn. for the Advancement of Science's Committee for the Selection and Nomenclature of Dynamical and Electrical Units.

According to the current national standard in the United States², the dyne is not to be used. The newton should be used instead.

1. British Association for the Advancement of Science.
Reports of the Committee on Electrical Standards appointed by the British Association....
London: E. and F. N. Spon, 1873.

2. IEEE/ASTM SI 10™-2002.
American National Standard for Use of the International System of Units (SI): The Modern Metric System.
New York: IEEE, 30 December 2002.

See Section 3.3.3.