The minimum breaking strength of a G-rated life safety rope is 40 kN. Which of the following is the equivalent in pounds-force?

• A. 2250 lb
• B. 9000 lb
• C. 4500 lb
• D. 6750 lb

Answer: (B)

Converting from kilonewtons to pounds-force is the key idea. A minimum breaking strength of 40 kN equals 40,000 newtons. With 1 newton about 0.2248 pounds-force, multiply: 40,000 × 0.2248 ≈ 8,992 lbf, which rounds to about 9,000 lbf. Therefore, the equivalent in pounds-force is about 9,000. The other options correspond to roughly 10 kN, 20 kN, and 30 kN, which do not match the 40 kN value.