Convert kinematic viscosity units — m²/s, Stokes, centistokes, ft²/s and more.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| m²/s | Square Meter/Second | 0.000001 |
| cm²/s | Square Centimeter/Second | 0.01 |
| St | Stokes | 0.01 |
| ft²/s | Square Foot/Second | 0.000010763915 |
| in²/s | Square Inch/Second | 0.0015500031 |
Formula: Stokes = Centistokes × 0.01
Multiply any Centistokes value by 0.01 to get Stokes.
Reverse: Centistokes = Stokes × 100
Water reference (20°C): 1.004 cSt = 0.01004 St
Values at ~20°C unless noted. Factor: 1 cSt = 0.01 St
| Centistokes (cSt) | Stokes (St) | Fluid |
|---|---|---|
| 0.015 cSt | 0.00015 St | Air (20°C) |
| 0.5 cSt | 0.005 St | Petrol (gasoline) |
| 1.004 cSt | 0.01004 St | Water (20°C) |
| 1.5 cSt | 0.015 St | Ethanol |
| 3 cSt | 0.03 St | Diesel fuel |
| 35 cSt | 0.35 St | SAE 10W motor oil |
| 84 cSt | 0.84 St | Olive oil |
| 100 cSt | 1 St | SAE 30 motor oil |
| 180 cSt | 1.8 St | SAE 90 gear oil |
| 1410 cSt | 14.1 St | Glycerin (20°C) |
| 5000 cSt | 50 St | Honey |
| 8000 cSt | 80 St | Molasses |
| 5e+04 cSt | 500 St | Tomato ketchup |
| 2.5e+05 cSt | 2500 St | Peanut butter |
| 1.000e+21 cSt | 1.000e+19 St | Glass (room temp) |
cSt ÷ 100 = St. Exact.
100 cSt = 1 St. 1 cSt (water) = 0.01 St.
St × 100 = cSt.
Specifies lubricant viscosity grades in cSt at 40°C and 100°C per ISO VG and SAE standards.
Uses kinematic viscosity in cSt for pipeline flow calculations, pump sizing, and heat exchanger design.
Measures crude oil and refined product viscosity in cSt for pipeline transport and refinery design.
Selects hydraulic fluids based on kinematic viscosity in cSt for pump compatibility and system efficiency.
Characterizes food product viscosity (honey, sauces, oils) in cSt for process design and quality control.
Uses ft²/s or cSt for atmospheric kinematic viscosity in Reynolds number calculations for aircraft design.
The centistokes (cSt) equals 0.01 Stokes = 10⁻⁶ m²/s and is the most widely used unit for specifying lubricant and fuel viscosity in industry. Water at 20°C has a kinematic viscosity of almost exactly 1 cSt — making it the universal reference.
cSt is the standard unit in lubricant specifications worldwide: ISO viscosity grades (ISO VG 32, 46, 68, 100, etc.) are defined at 40°C in cSt; SAE engine oil grades correlate to cSt at 100°C; ASTM fuel standards specify viscosity in cSt. Virtually every technical datasheet for oils, lubricants, and fuels uses cSt.
Interesting fact: Water's kinematic viscosity of ~1 cSt at 20°C is the reason the centistokes became so practically useful — the reference value is 1, making quick mental comparisons straightforward. Motor oils are typically 30–100 cSt at 40°C; glycerin is about 1,400 cSt; liquid honey 2,000–10,000 cSt.
The Stokes (St) is the CGS unit of kinematic viscosity, equal to exactly 1 cm²/s = 10⁻⁴ m²/s. It was named after Sir George Gabriel Stokes by the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1882.
The Stokes is used in petroleum engineering and some industrial viscometer specifications. Water at 20°C = 0.01 St = 1 cSt. Engine oils range from 50–200 cSt (0.5–2 St) at 40°C. Pourable molasses is about 5–10 St (500–1,000 cSt).
Interesting fact: George Stokes was also the first to explain fluorescence (Stokes shift), derive the Navier-Stokes equations of fluid motion, and develop the theory of diffraction. His work in fluid mechanics in the 1840s–1850s remains fundamental to modern engineering.
Kinematic viscosity (ν = μ/ρ) measures how a fluid flows under gravity. The cSt is dominant in industry; m²/s is the SI unit; St and cm²/s are the CGS equivalents. Key anchor: water at 20°C ≈ 1 cSt = 10⁻⁶ m²/s = 0.01 St.
Exact factor: 1 cSt = 0.01 St. Reverse: 1 St = 100 cSt.
All conversions use IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic, accurate to at least 8 significant figures.