Viscosity Converter

What is a Viscosity Converter?

A viscosity converter is a tool that allows you to quickly and accurately convert between different units of viscosity, which is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow or deformation. The converter supports both dynamic (absolute) viscosity units like pascal-second and poise, as well as kinematic viscosity units like stokes and square meters per second.

Types of Viscosity

There are two main types of viscosity:

• Dynamic (Absolute) Viscosity: Measures a fluid's internal resistance to flow under an applied force, independent of density.
• Kinematic Viscosity: The ratio of dynamic viscosity to density, representing how quickly momentum diffuses through a fluid.

Supported Viscosity Units

Dynamic Viscosity Units:

• Pascal-second (Pa·s): The SI unit for dynamic viscosity, equivalent to 1 N·s/m².
• Poise (P): A CGS unit of dynamic viscosity, where 1 P = 0.1 Pa·s.
• Centipoise (cP): 1/100th of a poise, very close to the viscosity of water at 20°C (1 cP).
• Millipoise (mP): 1/1000th of a poise.
• Kilogram per meter-second (kg/(m·s)): Equivalent to Pa·s in the SI system.
• Pound-force second per square foot (lbf·s/ft²): An imperial unit used in engineering.
• Pound per foot-hour (lb/(ft·h)): Used in some industrial applications.
• Reyn: An imperial unit where 1 reyn = 6,894.76 Pa·s.
• Newton-second per square meter (N·s/m²): Equivalent to Pa·s.

Kinematic Viscosity Units:

• Square meter per second (m²/s): The SI unit for kinematic viscosity.
• Stokes (St): A CGS unit where 1 St = 10⁻⁴ m²/s.
• Centistokes (cSt): 1/100th of a stoke, commonly used for oil viscosity.
• Square foot per second (ft²/s): An imperial unit used in engineering.
• Square inch per second (in²/s): An imperial unit for smaller values.

How to Use the Viscosity Converter

1. Select the appropriate tab for either dynamic or kinematic viscosity.
2. Enter the value you want to convert.
3. Select the unit you are converting from.
4. View instant conversions to all other supported units of the same type.

Why Use ManyCalcs Viscosity Converter?

• Completely free and ad-free.
• Supports both dynamic and kinematic viscosity units.
• Instant, accurate, and easy-to-use interface.
• Mobile-friendly and accessible on any device.
• Educational content about viscosity and its applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between dynamic and kinematic viscosity?

Dynamic viscosity measures the internal resistance of a fluid to flow, while kinematic viscosity is the ratio of dynamic viscosity to fluid density.

What is the viscosity of water?

At 20°C (68°F), water has a dynamic viscosity of approximately 1 centipoise (cP) or 0.001 Pa·s.

How do I convert between dynamic and kinematic viscosity?

Kinematic viscosity = Dynamic viscosity ÷ Density. Note that this conversion requires knowing the fluid's density.

Is this viscosity converter free?

Yes, the ManyCalcs viscosity converter is 100% free and always will be.

For more information, see Viscosity on Wikipedia.