Metric System Conversion Factors
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Metric System Conversion Factors

   

Metric System Conversion Factors1

Joseph B. Unruh and Barry J. Brecke2

Area Equivalents

1 Acre (A)

= 43,560 square feet (ft2)
= 4,840 square yards (yd2)
= 0.405 hectares (ha)
= 160 square rods (rd2)
= 4,047 square meters (m2)

1 Acre-inch (ac-in)

= 102.8 cubic meters (m3)
= 27,154 gallons, US (gal)
= 3,630 cubic feet (ft3)

1 Are (a)

= 100 square meters (m2)
= 119.6 square yards (yd2)
= 0.025 acre (A)

1 Cubic Foot (ft3)

= 1,728 cubic inches (in3)
= 0.037 cubic yards (yds3)
= 0.02832 cubic meters (cm3)
= 28,320 cubic centimeters (cm3)

1 Cubic Yard (yd3)

= 27 cubic feet (ft3)
= 0.764 cubic meters (m3)

1 Hectare (ha)

= 10,000 square meters (m2)
= 100 are (a)
= 2.471 acres (A)

1 Square Foot (ft2)

= 144 square inches (in2)
= 929.03 square centimeters (cm2)
= 0.0929 square meters (m2)

1 Square Mile (mi2)

= 27,878,400 square feet (ft2)
= 3,097,600 square yards (yd2)
= 640 square acres (A2)
= 2,589,988.11 square meters (m2)

1 Square Rod (rd2)

= 39,204 square inches (in2)
= 272.25 square feet (ft2)
= 30.25 square yards (yds2)
= 25.3 square meters (m2)

1 Square Yard (yd2)

= 9 square feet (ft2)
= 0.836 square meters (m2)

Flow Equivalents

1 Gallon Per Minute (GPM, gal/min)

= 0.134 cubic feet/minute (CFMft3/min)

1 Cubic Foot Per Minute (CFM, ft3/min)

= 449 gallons per hour (GPH)
= 7.481 gallons per minute (GPM)

Length Equivalents

1 Centimeter (cm)

= 0.3937 inch (in)
= 0.01 meter (m)
= 0.03281 foot (ft)

1 Chain, Gunter's or Surveyor's (ch)

= 792 inches (in)
= 66 feet (ft)
= 22 yards (yd)
= 4 rods (rd)
= 0.0125 miles (mi)
= 2011.68 centimeters (cm)
= 20.116 meters (m)

1 Foot (ft)

= 12 inches (in)
= 30.48 centimeters (cm)
= 0.3048 meters (m)

1 Inch (in)

= 0.08333 foot (ft)
= 25.4 millimeters (mm)
= 2.54 centimeters (cm)
= 0.0254 meters (m)

1 Kilometer (km)

= 39,370 inches (in)
= 3,281 feet (ft)
= 0.621 U.S. statute mile (mi)
= 100,000 centimeters (cm)
= 1,000 meters (m)

1 Meter (m)

= 39.4 inches (in)
= 3.28 feet (ft)
= 1.094 yards (yd)
= 1000 millimeters (mm)
= 100 centimeters (cm)

1 Micrometer (micron, µm)

= 0.001 millimeters (mm)
= 1 x 10-3 millimeters (mm)

1 Rod (rd)

= 198 inches (in)
= 16½ feet (ft)
= 5½ yards (yd)
= ¼ chain (ch)
= 502.92 centimeters (cm)
= 5.03 meters (m)

1 Statute Mile (mi)

= 5,280 feet (ft)
= 1,760 yards (yd)
= 1,609 meters (m)
= 1.61 kilometers (km)

1 Yard (yd)

= 36 inches (in)
= 3 feet (ft)
= 0.9144 meters (m)

Liquid Equivalents

1 Acre-inch of Water (ac in)

= 27,154 gallons (gal)
= 3,630 cubic feet (ft3)

1 Cubic Foot of Water (ft3)

= 7.48 gallons, US (gal)
= 62.4 pounds, US (lb, #)
= 28.3 liters (L)

1 Cup, measuring (c)

= 8 fluid ounces (fl. oz.)
= ½ pint (pt)
= 16 tablespoons (tbsp)
= 236.6 milliliters (ml)

1 Fluid Ounce, US (fl. oz.)

= 6 teaspoons (tsp)
= 2 tablespoons (tbsp)
= 29.57 milliliters (ml)

1 Gallon, US (gal)

= 4 quarts (qt)
= 8 liquid pints (pt)
= 16 cups (c)
= 256 tablespoons (tbsp)
= 128 fluid ounces, US (fl. oz.)
= 8.337 pounds, US (lb, #) of water
= 3.785 liters (L)
= 3,785 milliliters (ml)
= 0.1337 cubic foot (ft3)
= 231 cubic inches (in3)
= 0.8333 Imperial gallon

1 Liquid Pint, US (pt)

= 2 cups (c)
= 32 tablespoons (tbsp)
= 16 fluid ounces, US (fl. oz.)
= 473.2 milliliters (ml)

1 Liquid Quart, US (qt)

= 2 liquid pints, US (pt)
= 4 cups (c)
= 64 tablespoons (tbsp)
= 32 fluid ounces, US (fl. oz.)
= 57.75 cubic inches (in3)
= 0.9463 liters (L)

1 Liter (L)

= 1,000 milliliters (ml)
= 33.8 fluid ounces, US (fl. oz.)
= 2.1 liquid pints, US (pt)
= 1.057 liquid quarts, US (qt)
= 0.26 gallons, US (gal)

1 Milliliter (mL)

= 1 cubic centimeter (cm3)
= 0.34 fluid ounces, US (fl. oz.)
= 0.002 liquid pint, US (pt)

1 Tablespoon (tbsp)

= 3 teaspoons (tsp)
= 14.8 milliliters (ml)
= ½ fluid ounces, US (fl. oz.)

1 Teaspoon (tsp)

= 80 drops
= 0.1667 fluid ounces, US (fl.oz.)
= 4.93 milliliters (ml)

Mixture Proportions

1 pint/100 gallons = 1 teaspoon/1 gallon
1 quart/100 gallons = 2 tablespoons/1 gallon

Pressure Equivalents

1 pound per square inch (PSI) = 6.9 kilopascal (kPa)

Temperature Equivalents

Convert degrees Centigrade (°C) to degrees Fahrenheit (°F)

degrees CentigradeC) = (°F - 32) x 5/9

Convert degrees Fahrenheit (°F) to degrees Centigrade (°C)

degrees Fahrenheit F) = (°C x 9/5) + 32

Weight Equivalents

1 Ton, US, short or net

= 2,000 pounds, US (lb, #)
= 0.907 metric tons
= 907.2 kilograms (kg)

1 Metric Ton

= 1,000 kilograms (kg)
= 106 (1 million) grams (g)
= 2,205 pounds, US (lb, #)

1 Pound, US (lb, #)

= 16 ounces, weight (oz.)
= 7,000 grains
about 1 liquid pint (pt)
= 453.6 grams (g)
= 0.4536 kilograms (kg)

1 Ounce, weight (oz.)

= 28.35 grams (g)

1 Kilogram (kg)

= 1,000 grams (g)
= 35.3 ounces, weight (oz.)
= 2.205 pounds, US (lb, #)

1 Gram (g)

= 1,000 milligrams (mg)
= 0.001 kilograms (kg)
= 0.035 ounces, weight (oz.)
= 0.0022 pounds, US (lb, #)

1 Milligram (mg)

= 0.001 grams (g)
= 10-3 grams (thousandth)

1 Microgram (µg)

= 0.001 milligrams (mg)
= 10-6 grams (millionth)

1 Nanogram (ng)

= 0.001 micrograms (µg)
= 10-9 grams (billionth)

1 Picogram (pg)

= 10-12 grams (trillionth)

1 Part Per Billion (ppb)

= 1 nanogram per gram (ng/g)
= 1 microgram per kilogram (µg)/kg)
= 1 microgram per liter (µg/L)

1 Part Per Million (ppm)

= 1 milligram per liter (mg/L)
= 1 milligram per kilogram (mg/kg)
= 1 microgram per gram (µg/g)
= 0.0001 percent (%)
= 0.013 fluid ounces per 100 gallon water

1 Part Per Trillion (ppt)

= 1 picogram per gram (pg/g)

1 Percent (%)

= 10,000 parts per million (ppm)
= 10 grams per liter (g/L)
= 1.33 ounces (oz.) by weight per 1 gallon water
= 8.34 pounds (lb, #) per 100 gallons water

MIXTURE RATIOS

1 milligram per gram (mg/g) = 1,000 parts per million (ppm)
1 fluid ounce, US per 1 gallon, US (1 fl. oz./1 gal) = 7,490 parts per million (ppm)
1 fluid ounce, US per 100 gallons, US (1 fl. oz./100 gal) = 75 parts per million (ppm)

SLOPES

10% = 6° = 10:1
18% = 10° = 6:1
25% = 14° = 4:1
33% = 18° = 3:1
50% = 26° = 2:1
100% = 45° = 1:1

Tables

Table 1. Metric prefix definitions, multiples, and equivalents

PREFIX


MULTIPLE


EQUIVALENT


tera -


1012


trillionfold


giga -


109


billionfold


mega -


106


millionfold


kilo -


103


thousandfold


hecto -


102


hundredfold


deca -


101


tenfold


PREFIX


SUBMULTIPLE


EQUIVALENT


deci -


10-1


tenth


centi -


10-2


hundredth


milli -


10-3


thousandth


micro -


10-6


millionth


nano -


10-9


billionth


pico -


10-12


trillionth


Note: basic metric unit = 1


Table 2. Conversion factors

TO CONVERT


MULTIPLY BY


TO OBTAIN


Acres


43,560


Square Feet (ft2)


Acres


0.00405


Square Kilometer (km2)


Acres


4050


Square Meter (m2)


Acres


4840


Square Yards (yd2)


Acre-Feet


324,851


Square Feet (ft2)


Acre-Feet


43,560


Cubic Feet (ft3)


Acre-Feet


1233.5


Cubic Meters (m3)


Bar


14.5


Pounds Per Square Inch (psi, lb/sq.in., #/in2)


Bar


1019.7


Grams Per Cubic Centimeters (g/cm3)


Bar


29.53


Inches of Mercury at Zero Degrees Centigrade (in hg @ o¡c)


Centimeters (cm)


0.03281


Feet (ft)


Centimeters


0.3937


Inches (in)


Centimeters


0.1094


Yards (yd)


Centimeters


0.01


Meters (m)


Centimeters


10


Millimeters (MM)


Centimeters Per Second (cm/sec)


1.9685


Feet Per Minute (ft/min)


Centimeters Per Second (cm/sec)


0.0223694


Miles Per Hour (mph)


Cubic Centimeters (cm3)


0.0610237


Cubic Inches (in3)


Cubic Feet (ft3)


0.0283


Cubic Meter (m3)


Cubic Feet


7.4805


Gallons (gal)


Cubic Feet


1728


Cubic Inches (in3)


Cup


8


Fluid Ounces (fl oz.)


Feet (ft)


30.48


Centimeters (cm)


Feet


0.3048


Meters(m)


Foot Candle


10.764


Lux


Gallons (gal)


3.785


Liters (l)


Gallons


3,785


Milliliters (ml)


Gallons


128


Ounces, Liquid (fl oz.)


gal/Acre (GPA)


9.354


Liters/Hectare (l/ha)


gal/1000 ft2


4.0746


Liters/100 Square Meters (l/100m3)


GAL/Minute (gpm)


2.228 X 10-3


Cubic Feet/Second (ft3/sec)


Grams (g)


0.002205


Pounds, US (lbs, #)


Grams


0.0235274


Ounces, US Weight (oz.)


Grams Per Liter (g/l)


1,000


ppm


Grams Per LITER (g/l)


10


Percent (%)


Grams/Square Meter (g/m2)


0.00020481


Pounds Per Square Feet (lb/sq ft, #/ft2)


Grams Per Cubic Meter (g/cm3)


0.036127


Pounds Per Cubic Inch (lb/in3)


Grams Per Cubic Meter (g/cm3)


62.428


Pounds Per Cubic Foot (lb/ft3)


Hectares (ha)


2.471


Acres (A)


Inches


2.540


Centimeters (cm)


Inches


0.0254


Meters (m)


Inches


25.40


Millimeters (mm)


Square Inches (in2)


6.4516


Square Centimeters (cm2)


Cubic Inches (in3)


16.3871


Cubic Centimeters (cm3)


Kilograms (kg)


2.2046


Pounds, US (lbs, #)


Kilograms/Hectare (kg/ha)


0.892


Pounds/Acre


Kilograms/Hectare (kg/ha)


0.02048


Pounds Per 1000 Square Feet (lb/1000 ft2)


Kilogram Per Liter (kg/l)


8.3454


Pounds Per Gallon (lb/gal)


Kilometers (km)


100,000


Centimeters (cm)


Kilometers


3,281


Feet (ft)


Kilometers


1,000


Meters (m)


Kilometers


0.6214


Miles (mi)


Kilometers


1,094


Yards (yd)


Kilometers Per Hour (km/h)


0.62137


Miles Per Hour (mph)


Kilometers Per Hour (km/h)


54.6807


Feet Per Minute


Liters (l)


0.2642


Gallons (gal)


Liters


2.113


Pints (pt)


Liters


1.057


Quarts (qt)


Liters/Acre


0.107


Gallons/Acre


Liters/100 Square Meters (l/100 m2)


0.2454


Gallons/1000 Square Feet (gal/1000ft2)


Liters/Hectare (l/ha)


0.107


Gallons Per Acre


Meters (m)


3.281


Feet (ft)


Meters


39.37


Inches (in)


Meters


1.094


Yards (yd)


Meters


100


Centimeters (cm)


Meters


0.001


Kilometers (km)


Meters


1,000


Millimeters (mm)


Meters Per Second (m/sec)


2.2369


Miles Per Hour (mph)


Square Meters (m2)


10.764


Square Feet (ft2)


Cubic Meters (m3)


35.3147


Cubic Feet (ft3)


Cubic Meters (m3)


1.30795


Cubic Yards (yd3)


Miles (mi)


160,900


Centimeters (cm)


Miles


5280


Feet (ft)


Miles


1.609


Kilometers (km)


Miles


1760


Yards (yd)


Miles/Hour (mph)


1.467


Feet/Second (ft/sec)


Miles/Hour


88


Feet/Minute (ft/min)


Miles/Hour


1.61


Kilometers/Hour (km/hr)


Miles/Hour


0.447


Meter/Second (m/sec)


Milliliters (ml)


0.0338


Ounces, Fluid (fl oz.)


Millimeters (mm)


0.03937


Inches (in)


Ounces, Fluid (fl. oz.)


0.02957


Liters (l)


Ounces, Fluid (fl. oz.)


29.573


Milliliters (ml)


Ounces, US, Weight (oz.)


28.35


Grams (gm)


Parts Per Million (ppm)


2.719


Pounds of Active Ingredient (lb ai)/Acre-foot of Water


PPM


0.001


Grams/Liter (gm/l)


PPM


8.34


Pounds/Million gal (lb/Mgal)


PPM


1


Milligrams/Kilograms (mg/kg)


PPM


0.013


Ounces/100 gal of Water


PPM


0.3295


Gallons/Acre-foot of Water


PPM


8.345


Pounds/Million gal of Water


Percent (%)


10


Grams/Kilograms (g/kg)


Pint, Liquid (pt.)


0.473


Liter (l)


Pint Per Acre (pt/a)


1.1692


Liter Per Hectare (l/ha)


Pounds, US (lb, #)


0.4536


Kilograms (kg)


Pounds


453.6


Grams (g)


Pounds/Acre


1.12


Kilograms/Hectare (km/ha)


Pounds/Acre (lb/a)


0.02296


Pounds Per 1000 Square Feet (lb/1000 ft2)


Pounds/Square Feet (lb/ft2)


4883


Grams/Square meter (gm/m2)


Pounds/Gallon


0.12


Kilogram/Liter (kg/l)


PSI; Pounds Per Square Inch (lbs/in2)


6.9


Kilopascals (kPa)


PSI


0.06895


Bar


PSI


0.062046


Atmosphere (atm)


Quarts, Liquid (qt)


0.9463


Liters (l)


Quarts Per Acre (qt/a)


2.3385


Liters Per Hectare (l/ha)


Square Centimeters (cm2)


0.001076


Square Feet (ft2)


Square Centimeters


0.1550


Square inches (in2)


Square Feet (ft2)


929


Square Centimeters (cm2)


Square Feet


0.0929


Square Meters (m2)


Square Feet


9.294 X 10-6


Hectares (ha)


Square Inch


6.452


Square Centimeters (cm2)


Ton (2000 lbs)


907


Kilograms (kg)


Yards (yd)


91.44


Centimeters (cm)


Yards


0.9144


Meters (m)


Yards


914.4


Millimeters (mm)


Cubic yards (Yd3)


0.7645


Cubic Meters (m3)


Phosphoric Acid (P2O5)


0.437


Phosphorus (P)


Potassium Oxide (K2O)


0.830


Potassium (K)


Calcium Oxide (CaO)


0.715


Calcium (Ca)


Magnesium Oxide (MgO)


0.602


Magnesium (Mg)


Table 3. Decimal and millimeter length equivalents.

FRACTION (inch) =


DECIMALS (inch) =


MILLIMETERS


1


1.00


25.4


15/16


0.9375


23.812


7/8


0.875


22.225


13/16


0.8125


20.638


3/4


0.75


19.05


11/16


0.6875


17.462


5/8


0.625


15.875


9/16


0.5625


14.288


1/2


0.5


12.70


7/16


0.4375


11.112


3/8


0.3750


9.525


11/32


0.34375


8.731


5/16


0.3125


7.938


9/32


0.28125


7.144


1/4


0.25


6.350


15/64


0.234375


5.953


7/32


0.21875


5.556


13/64


0.203125


5.159


3/16


0.1875


4.762


11/64


0.171875


4.366


5/32


0.15625


3.969


9/64


0.140625


3.572


1/8


0.1250


3.175


7/64


0.109375


2.778


3/32


0.09375


2.381


5/64


0.078125


1.984


1/16


0.0625


1.588


3/64


0.046875


1.191


1/32


0.03125


0.794


1/64


0.015625


0.397



Footnotes

1. This document is AGR39, formerly ENH94, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date November, 1993. Reviewed and revised August 2006. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Joseph B. Unruh, associate professor, West Florida Research and Education Center, Department of Environmental Horticulture, and Barry J. Brecke, professor and Associate Center Director, West Florida Research and Education Center; Department of Agronomy, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.


The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.



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