Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
University Physics Volume 1

B | Conversion Factors

University Physics Volume 1B | Conversion Factors
Search for key terms or text.
m cm km
1 meter 1 102 10−3
1 centimeter 10−2 1 10−5
1 kilometer 103 105 1
1 inch 2.540×10−22.540×10−2 2.540 2.540×10−52.540×10−5
1 foot 0.3048 30.48 3.048×10−43.048×10−4
1 mile 1609 1.609×1051.609×105 1.609
1 angstrom 10−10
1 fermi 10−15
1 light-year 9.460×10129.460×1012
in. ft mi
1 meter 39.37 3.281 6.214×10−46.214×10−4
1 centimeter 0.3937 3.281×10−23.281×10−2 6.214×10−66.214×10−6
1 kilometer 3.937×1043.937×104 3.281×1033.281×103 0.6214
1 inch 1 8.333×10−28.333×10−2 1.578×10−51.578×10−5
1 foot 12 1 1.894×10−41.894×10−4
1 mile 6.336×1046.336×104 5280 1
Table B1 Length

Area

1cm2=0.155in.21cm2=0.155in.2

1m2=104cm2=10.76ft21m2=104cm2=10.76ft2

1in.2=6.452cm21in.2=6.452cm2

1ft2=144in.2=0.0929m21ft2=144in.2=0.0929m2

Volume

1liter=1000cm3=10−3m3=0.03531ft3=61.02in.31liter=1000cm3=10−3m3=0.03531ft3=61.02in.3

1ft3=0.02832m3=28.32liters=7.477gallons1ft3=0.02832m3=28.32liters=7.477gallons

1gallon=3.788liters1gallon=3.788liters

s min h day yr
1 second 1 1.667×10−21.667×10−2 2.778×10−42.778×10−4 1.157×10−51.157×10−5 3.169×10−83.169×10−8
1 minute 60 1 1.667×10−21.667×10−2 6.944×10−46.944×10−4 1.901×10−61.901×10−6
1 hour 3600 60 1 4.167×10−24.167×10−2 1.141×10−41.141×10−4
1 day 8.640×1048.640×104 1440 24 1 2.738×10−32.738×10−3
1 year 3.156×1073.156×107 5.259×1055.259×105 8.766×1038.766×103 365.25 1
Table B2 Time
m/s cm/s ft/s mi/h
1 meter/second 1 102 3.281 2.237
1 centimeter/second 10−2 1 3.281×10−23.281×10−2 2.237×10−22.237×10−2
1 foot/second 0.3048 30.48 1 0.6818
1 mile/hour 0.4470 44.70 1.467 1
Table B3 Speed

Acceleration

1m/s2=100cm/s2=3.281ft/s21m/s2=100cm/s2=3.281ft/s2

1cm/s2=0.01m/s2=0.03281ft/s21cm/s2=0.01m/s2=0.03281ft/s2

1ft/s2=0.3048m/s2=30.48cm/s21ft/s2=0.3048m/s2=30.48cm/s2

1mi/h·s=1.467ft/s21mi/h·s=1.467ft/s2

kg g slug u
1 kilogram 1 103 6.852×10−26.852×10−2 6.024×10266.024×1026
1 gram 10−3 1 6.852×10−56.852×10−5 6.024×10236.024×1023
1 slug 14.59 1.459×1041.459×104 1 8.789×10278.789×1027
1 atomic mass unit 1.661×10−271.661×10−27 1.661×10−241.661×10−24 1.138×10−281.138×10−28 1
1 metric ton 1000
Table B4 Mass
N dyne lb
11 newton 1 105 0.2248
11 dyne 10−5 1 2.248×10−62.248×10−6
11 pound 4.448 4.448×1054.448×105 1
Table B5 Force
Pa dyne/cm2 atm cmHg lb/in.2
1 pascal 1 10 9.869×10−69.869×10−6 7.501×10−47.501×10−4 1.450×10−41.450×10−4
1 dyne/centimeter2 10−1 1 9.869×10−79.869×10−7 7.501×10−57.501×10−5 1.450×10−51.450×10−5
1 atmosphere 1.013×1051.013×105 1.013×1061.013×106 1 76 14.70
1 centimeter mercury* 1.333×1031.333×103 1.333×1041.333×104 1.316×10−21.316×10−2 1 0.1934
1 pound/inch2 6.895×1036.895×103 6.895×1046.895×104 6.805×10−26.805×10−2 5.171 1
1 bar 105
1 torr 1 (mmHg)
*Where the acceleration due to gravity is 9.80665m/s29.80665m/s2 and the temperature is 0°C0°C
Table B6 Pressure
J erg ft.lb
1 joule 1 107 0.7376
1 erg 10−7 1 7.376×10−87.376×10−8
1 foot-pound 1.356 1.356×1071.356×107 1
1 electron-volt 1.602×10−191.602×10−19 1.602×10-121.602×10-12 1.182×10−191.182×10−19
1 calorie 4.186 4.186×1074.186×107 3.088
1 British thermal unit 1.055×1031.055×103 1.055×10101.055×1010 7.779×1027.779×102
1 kilowatt-hour 3.600×1063.600×106
eV cal Btu
1 joule 6.242×10186.242×1018 0.2389 9.481×10−49.481×10−4
1 erg 6.242×10116.242×1011 2.389×10−82.389×10−8 9.481×10−119.481×10−11
1 foot-pound 8.464×10188.464×1018 0.3239 1.285×10−31.285×10−3
1 electron-volt 1 3.827×10−203.827×10−20 1.519×10−221.519×10−22
1 calorie 2.613×10192.613×1019 1 3.968×10−33.968×10−3
1 British thermal unit 6.585×10216.585×1021 2.520×1022.520×102 1
Table B7 Work, Energy, Heat

Power

1W=1J/s1W=1J/s

1hp=746W=550ft·lb/s1hp=746W=550ft·lb/s

1Btu/h=0.293W1Btu/h=0.293W

Angle

1rad=57.30°=180°/π1rad=57.30°=180°/π

1°=0.01745rad=π/180rad1°=0.01745rad=π/180rad

1revolution=360°=2πrad1revolution=360°=2πrad

1rev/min(rpm)=0.1047rad/s1rev/min(rpm)=0.1047rad/s

PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-1/pages/1-introduction

  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-1/pages/1-introduction

Citation information

© Jul 8, 2025 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.