Kinematic Viscosity Converter
Kinematic viscosity is the ratio of dynamic viscosity to density, with SI units of square meters per second (m2/s). The common practical units are the stokes (cm2/s) and the centistokes (mm2/s); water near room temperature is about 1 centistokes. This converter reduces a value to m2/s as a base, then converts to your chosen unit using exact factors: 1 stokes equals 1e-4 m2/s, 1 centistokes equals 1e-6 m2/s, and 1 ft2/s equals 0.09290304 m2/s exactly.
Kinematic viscosity conversion
Base value (m2/s) = input * factor(from unit)
Output = base value / factor(to unit)
1 stokes = 1e-4 m2/s
1 centistokes = 1e-6 m2/s
1 ft2/s = 0.09290304 m2/s
The stokes is the CGS unit (1 cm2/s). The centistokes equals 1 mm2/s, which is the most common practical unit for liquids.
Kinematic viscosity context
- The SI unit is the square meter per second (m2/s).
- Water at about 20 degrees Celsius has a kinematic viscosity near 1 centistokes (1e-6 m2/s).
- Kinematic viscosity equals dynamic viscosity divided by density.
- The stokes is the CGS unit, equal to 1 cm2/s or 1e-4 m2/s.
- Lubricant grades are commonly specified in centistokes at 40 and 100 degrees Celsius.
Kinematic viscosity: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between dynamic and kinematic viscosity?
Dynamic viscosity (pascal-seconds) measures a fluid's internal resistance to shear. Kinematic viscosity (m2/s) is dynamic viscosity divided by density, capturing how a fluid flows under gravity. This converter handles the kinematic form.
How many centistokes are in a stokes?
One hundred. A stokes is 1 cm2/s and a centistokes is 1 mm2/s; since 1 cm2 is 100 mm2, one stokes equals 100 centistokes.
What is the kinematic viscosity of water?
About 1 centistokes (1e-6 m2/s) at roughly 20 degrees Celsius. It falls as temperature rises, so use a value for your actual temperature in precise work.
How do I convert ft2/s to m2/s?
Multiply by 0.09290304, the square of the exact 0.3048 m foot. So 1 ft2/s equals 0.09290304 m2/s.
Why use scientific notation in the result?
Kinematic viscosities of liquids are very small in SI units (around 1e-6 m2/s), which would round to 0.00 at two decimals. The converter shows such small values in scientific notation so they remain meaningful.
Official sources
- NIST Special Publication 811: Guide for the Use of the International System of Units.
- BIPM: SI Units.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 17 June 2026. See our methodology.