Convert kinematic viscosity units — m²/s, Stokes, centistokes, ft²/s and more.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| cm²/s | Square Centimeter/Second | 10000 |
| St | Stokes | 10000 |
| cSt | Centistokes | 1000000 |
| ft²/s | Square Foot/Second | 10.763915 |
| in²/s | Square Inch/Second | 1550.0031 |
Formula: Centistokes = m²/s × 1e+06
Multiply any m²/s value by 1e+06 to get Centistokes.
Reverse: m²/s = Centistokes × 1.0000e-6
Water reference (20°C): 1.0040e-6 m²/s = 1.004 cSt
Values at ~20°C unless noted. Factor: 1 m²/s = 1e+06 cSt
| m²/s (m²/s) | Centistokes (cSt) | Fluid |
|---|---|---|
| 1.500e-08 m²/s | 0.015 cSt | Air (20°C) |
| 5.000e-07 m²/s | 0.5 cSt | Petrol (gasoline) |
| 1.004e-06 m²/s | 1.004 cSt | Water (20°C) |
| 1.500e-06 m²/s | 1.5 cSt | Ethanol |
| 3.000e-06 m²/s | 3 cSt | Diesel fuel |
| 3.500e-05 m²/s | 35 cSt | SAE 10W motor oil |
| 8.400e-05 m²/s | 84 cSt | Olive oil |
| 1.000e-04 m²/s | 100 cSt | SAE 30 motor oil |
| 0.00018 m²/s | 180 cSt | SAE 90 gear oil |
| 0.00141 m²/s | 1410 cSt | Glycerin (20°C) |
| 0.005 m²/s | 5000 cSt | Honey |
| 0.008 m²/s | 8000 cSt | Molasses |
| 0.05 m²/s | 5e+04 cSt | Tomato ketchup |
| 0.25 m²/s | 2.5e+05 cSt | Peanut butter |
| 1.000e+15 m²/s | 1.000e+21 cSt | Glass (room temp) |
m²/s × 1,000,000 = cSt.
10⁻⁶ m²/s = 1 cSt (water). 10⁻⁴ m²/s = 100 cSt (oil).
cSt × 10⁻⁶ = m²/s.
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.
Square meter per second (m²/s) is the SI unit of kinematic viscosity, defined as dynamic viscosity divided by fluid density. It measures how easily a fluid flows under gravity relative to its own inertia. The unit was formalized with SI in 1960.
m²/s values are very small for most fluids: water at 20°C ≈ 1×10⁻⁶ m²/s; air ≈ 1.5×10⁻⁵ m²/s; SAE 30 motor oil ≈ 1×10⁻⁴ m²/s. The large exponents make m²/s impractical for everyday use, which is why cSt and St are more common.
Interesting fact: Kinematic viscosity is the ratio ν = μ/ρ (dynamic viscosity ÷ density). A very viscous but dense fluid can have lower kinematic viscosity than a less viscous but very light fluid — which is why kinematic viscosity (not dynamic) governs flow by gravity.
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.
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 m²/s = 1e+06 cSt. Reverse: 1 cSt = 1.0000e-6 m²/s.
All conversions use IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic, accurate to at least 8 significant figures.