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: Standard Gravity = Gal × 0.00102
Multiply any Gal value by 0.00102 to get Standard Gravity.
Reverse: Gal = Standard Gravity × 980.7
Common acceleration values — factor: 1 Gal = 0.00102 g
| Gal (Gal) | Standard Gravity (g) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 0.001 Gal | 1.020e-06 g | μGal precision |
| 0.01 Gal | 1.020e-05 g | Sub-mGal |
| 0.1 Gal | 0.000102 g | mGal geodesy |
| 1 Gal | 0.00102 g | 1 Gal |
| 10 Gal | 0.0102 g | 10 Gal |
| 98 Gal | 0.09993 g | 0.1 g |
| 100 Gal | 0.102 g | 0.102 g |
| 162 Gal | 0.1652 g | Moon surface |
| 370 Gal | 0.3773 g | Mars surface |
| 490 Gal | 0.4997 g | 0.5 g |
| 980.7 Gal | 1 g | 1 g Earth |
| 1962 Gal | 2.001 g | 2 g |
| 3700 Gal | 3.773 g | ~4 g |
| 9807 Gal | 10 g | ~10 g |
| 1e+05 Gal | 102 g | ~102 g |
Gal ÷ 980.665 = g. Round to ÷ 981.
980.665 Gal = 1 g. 490 Gal ≈ 0.5 g.
g × 980.665 = Gal.
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.
Standard gravity (g) is defined as exactly 9.80665 m/s², representing the nominal gravitational acceleration at Earth's surface (sea level, 45° latitude). It was adopted as a standard by the International Committee on Weights and Measures (CIPM) in 1901.
G-force (multiples of g) is the most intuitive acceleration unit for human experience: commercial aircraft cruise at about 1g; fighter jet maneuvers at 4–9g; astronaut launch at 3g; roller coasters at 2–6g. Human loss of consciousness (G-LOC) occurs at about 5–9g sustained.
Interesting fact: At 0g (weightlessness), the human vestibular system becomes confused within seconds — causing space sickness in about half of all astronauts. At the Moon's surface, gravity is 0.165g; on Mars 0.38g; on Jupiter's surface, about 2.5g.
Converting Gal to Standard Gravity 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 = 0.0102 g. Reverse: 1 g = 980.7 Gal. Factor: 1 Gal = 0.00102 g.
All conversions use IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic, accurate to at least 8 significant figures.