Viscosity (dynamic) converter
Viscosity (dynamic) Converter – 7 Units, Exact Factors
1 centipoise = 0.001 pascal seconds
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- 1 cP = 0.001 Pa·s
- 5 cP = 0.005 Pa·s
- 10 cP = 0.01 Pa·s
- 25 cP = 0.025 Pa·s
- Pascal secondsPa·s
- Millipascal secondsmPa·s
- PoiseP
- CentipoisecP
- Pound-force seconds per square footlbf·s/ft²
- Pounds per foot secondlb/(ft·s)
- Reyns (US)reyn
- Pascal seconds0.001Pa·s
- Millipascal seconds1mPa·s
- Poise0.01P
- Centipoise1cP
- Pound-force seconds per square foot0.000020885lbf·s/ft²
- Pounds per foot second0.00067197lb/(ft·s)
- Reyns (US)reyn
About viscosity (dynamic) conversions
Dynamic (absolute) viscosity is a fluid’s resistance to shear. 1 cP = 1 mPa·s exactly; water at 20 °C is about 1 cP. To get kinematic viscosity, divide by density.
Common viscosity (dynamic) conversions
Viscosity (dynamic) units explained
| Unit | System | Definition and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pascal second (Pa·s) | SI (metric) | Base unitThe SI unit of dynamic viscosity. Water at 20 °C is about 1 mPa·s. |
| Millipascal second (mPa·s) | SI (metric) | 1 mPa·s = 0.001 Pa·s (exact)Defined as exactly 1 centipoise. |
| Poise (P) | other | 1 P = 0.1 Pa·s (exact)An older centimetre-gram-second unit: exactly 0.1 Pa·s. |
| Centipoise (cP) | other | 1 cP = 0.001 Pa·s (exact)Defined as exactly 1 mPa·s. Water at 20 °C is about 1.002 cP. |
| Pound-force second per square foot (lbf·s/ft²) | US & imperial (identical) | 1 lbf·s/ft² ≈ 47.880259 Pa·sAbout 47.88026 Pa·s. |
| Pound per foot second (lb/(ft·s)) | US & imperial (identical) | 1 lb/(ft·s) ≈ 1.4881639 Pa·sAbout 1.488164 Pa·s. |
| Reyn (reyn) | US customary | 1 reyn ≈ 6,894.7573 Pa·s1 lbf·s/in² is about 6,894.757 Pa·s. |
Centipoise to pascal seconds conversion table
| Centipoise (cP) | Pascal seconds (Pa·s) |
|---|---|
| 0.01 cP | 0.00001 Pa·s |
| 0.1 cP | 0.0001 Pa·s |
| 0.5 cP | 0.0005 Pa·s |
| 1 cP | 0.001 Pa·s |
| 2 cP | 0.002 Pa·s |
| 5 cP | 0.005 Pa·s |
| 10 cP | 0.01 Pa·s |
| 20 cP | 0.02 Pa·s |
| 50 cP | 0.05 Pa·s |
| 100 cP | 0.1 Pa·s |
| 200 cP | 0.2 Pa·s |
| 500 cP | 0.5 Pa·s |
| 1,000 cP | 1 Pa·s |
| 1,500 cP | 1.5 Pa·s |
| 5,000 cP | 5 Pa·s |
| 10,000 cP | 10 Pa·s |
Frequently asked questions
Which viscosity (dynamic) units can I convert?
pascal seconds (Pa·s), millipascal seconds (mPa·s), poise (P), centipoise (cP), pound-force seconds per square foot (lbf·s/ft²), pounds per foot second (lb/(ft·s)), reyns (reyn).
How accurate are the results?
Every unit is stored with its exact defining factor (NIST SP 811, NIST Handbook 44 or the BIPM SI Brochure). Calculations use double-precision arithmetic and are rounded only for display, to 5 significant figures by default (trailing zeros dropped, so 1 km shows as 1000 m). You can choose Auto (up to 10 digits), fixed decimals or more significant figures, or switch to scientific or engineering notation.
What is the difference between centipoise and mPa·s?
None in size: 1 cP = 1 mPa·s exactly (1 P = 0.1 Pa·s). Water at 20 °C is about 1 cP. Dynamic viscosity is not the same as kinematic viscosity; divide by density to convert between them.