Convert acceleration units — m/s², ft/s², g-force, Gal and more.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| m/s² | Meter/Square Second | 0.01 |
| cm/s² | Centimeter/Square Second | 1 |
| ft/s² | Foot/Square Second | 0.032808399 |
| in/s² | Inch/Square Second | 0.39370079 |
| g | Standard Gravity | 0.0010197162 |
| mG | Millig | 1.0197162 |
Formula: cm/s² = Gal × 1
Multiply any Gal value by 1 to get cm/s².
Reverse: Gal = cm/s² × 1
Common acceleration values — factor: 1 Gal = 1 cm/s²
| Gal (Gal) | cm/s² (cm/s²) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 0.001 Gal | 0.001 cm/s² | μGal precision |
| 0.01 Gal | 0.01 cm/s² | Sub-mGal |
| 0.1 Gal | 0.1 cm/s² | mGal geodesy |
| 1 Gal | 1 cm/s² | 1 Gal |
| 10 Gal | 10 cm/s² | 10 Gal |
| 98 Gal | 98 cm/s² | 0.1 g |
| 100 Gal | 100 cm/s² | 0.102 g |
| 162 Gal | 162 cm/s² | Moon surface |
| 370 Gal | 370 cm/s² | Mars surface |
| 490 Gal | 490 cm/s² | 0.5 g |
| 980.7 Gal | 980.7 cm/s² | 1 g Earth |
| 1962 Gal | 1962 cm/s² | 2 g |
| 3700 Gal | 3700 cm/s² | ~4 g |
| 9807 Gal | 9807 cm/s² | ~10 g |
| 1e+05 Gal | 1e+05 cm/s² | ~102 g |
1 Gal = 1 cm/s².
9.807 m/s² = 1 g = 32.17 ft/s² = 980.7 cm/s² — use as reference.
Multiply result by 1 to recover the original Gal value.
Specifies aircraft and spacecraft acceleration loads in g and m/s² for structural design and pilot tolerance.
Measures vehicle acceleration performance (0–100 km/h) and braking deceleration in m/s² and g.
Uses Gal and mGal to measure variations in Earth's gravitational field for mineral exploration.
Programs joint acceleration limits in m/s² or in/s² for servo motor control and trajectory planning.
Calculates seismic acceleration loads (in g or m/s²) for earthquake-resistant building design.
Measures athlete acceleration performance using accelerometers reporting in g or m/s².
The Gal (symbol: Gal) is a unit of acceleration equal to exactly 1 cm/s² = 0.01 m/s², named in honor of Galileo Galilei. It is the standard unit in geodesy and gravimetry, where small variations in Earth's gravitational field are measured.
Earth's mean gravitational acceleration is about 980 Gal (9.80 m/s²). Local variations due to geology, elevation, and latitude span about ±0.5 Gal. Modern superconducting gravimeters can detect variations smaller than 1 μGal (10⁻⁸ m/s²).
Interesting fact: Gravity surveys using Gal measurements can detect underground oil reservoirs, ore deposits, and aquifers because different materials have different densities — and thus different gravitational effects — without any drilling.
Centimeters per second squared (cm/s²) is the CGS unit of acceleration, equal to exactly 0.01 m/s². The Gal (named after Galileo) is exactly 1 cm/s² and is the standard unit in gravimetry and geophysics.
Gravimeters measure local variations in Earth's gravitational acceleration in milligals (mGal) and microgals (μGal). Earth's gravity varies by about ±0.5 Gal (50 cm/s²) between the equator and poles due to Earth's shape and rotation.
Interesting fact: The Gal unit honors Galileo Galilei, who first quantified free-fall acceleration in the late 16th century using inclined planes and water clocks — without any precise timing instruments, he determined that distance fallen is proportional to the square of time.
Converting Gal to cm/s² is common in aerospace, automotive, geophysics, and robotics. Physics and SI engineering use m/s²; US aerospace uses ft/s²; geophysics uses Gal (cm/s²); and g-force is universal. Key anchor: Earth surface gravity = 9.807 m/s² = 1 g = 32.17 ft/s² = 980.7 Gal.
Quick reference: 10 Gal = 10 cm/s². Reverse: 1 cm/s² = 1 Gal. Factor: 1 Gal = 1 cm/s².
All conversions use IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic, accurate to at least 8 significant figures.