This unit is named after Isaac Newton. In the English system forces are measured in units of pounds. A Newton of force is much smaller than a pound of force. It takes about 4.5 Newtons to equal a force of one pound. So, if you usually state your weight in pounds, then you could figure your weight in the Newtons by multiplying those pounds by 4.5.
Forces are vectors .
That is, they are quantities that have both size and direction. Forces can be symbolized with arrows, as can all vectors. The arrow in the picture below is meant to show a force with the size of 15 Newtons directed toward the left. One must understand vectors to understand forces.