Density Converter
Convert between different density units including kilograms per cubic meter and grams per cubic centimeter.
Result
1 Kilogram/Cubic Meter = 0.001 Gram/Cubic Centimeter
Understanding Density Units and Conversions
Density is a fundamental physical property that measures how much mass is contained in a given volume. It's defined as mass per unit volume and is expressed in various units depending on the measurement system used. Our density converter supports over 50 units across metric, imperial, and specialized measurement systems.
Metric Density Units (SI System)
The International System of Units (SI) uses kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³) as the base unit for density. This system is decimal-based and used worldwide for scientific and engineering applications. Common metric density units include grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³), which is equivalent to 1000 kg/m³, and milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m³) for very low densities.
Imperial and US Customary Density Units
Imperial and US customary systems use pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft³) as a common density unit. These systems are primarily used in the United States and United Kingdom. Conversions between imperial and metric require converting both mass (pounds to kilograms) and volume (cubic feet to cubic meters), resulting in the conversion factor of 1 lb/ft³ = 16.0185 kg/m³.
Mass per Liter Units
Many density measurements use mass per liter units, particularly for liquids and solutions. Since 1 liter equals 0.001 cubic meters, these units provide convenient conversions. For example, kilograms per liter (kg/L) equals 1000 kg/m³, making it equivalent to g/cm³. The full range spans from exagram per liter (Eg/L) down to attogram per liter (ag/L) for various scientific applications.
Density Conversion Formula
To convert between density units, our converter uses the base unit (kg/m³) as the intermediate step. The formula is: Result = (Value × from_unit_factor) / to_unit_factor. For instance, converting 1000 kg/m³ to g/cm³: multiply by 1 (since kg/m³ is the base), then divide by 1000, resulting in 1 g/cm³.
Applications of Density Conversions
Density conversions are essential in materials science for characterizing substances, in fluid mechanics for designing systems, in manufacturing for quality control, and in geological studies for understanding Earth's composition. Specialized units like Earth's mean density (5,514 kg/m³) are used in planetary science, while slug per cubic foot is common in engineering calculations involving forces and accelerations.
Common Density Conversion Table
| From Unit | To Kilogram per Cubic Meter (kg/m³) | To Gram per Cubic Centimeter (g/cm³) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg/m³ | 1 | 0.001 |
| 1 g/cm³ | 1000 | 1 |
| 1 lb/ft³ | 16.0185 | 0.0160185 |
| 1 lb/in³ | 27,679.9 | 27.6799 |
| 1 kg/L | 1000 | 1 |
| 1 g/L | 1 | 0.001 |
| 1 mg/L | 0.001 | 0.000001 |
| 1 slug/ft³ | 515.379 | 0.515379 |
| 1 lb/gal (US) | 119.826 | 0.119826 |
| 1 lb/gal (UK) | 99.7764 | 0.0997764 |
Common Density Conversion Examples
1 kg/m³ = 0.001 g/cm³
Water has a density of 1 g/cm³ or 1000 kg/m³
1 g/cm³ = 1000 kg/m³
Standard atmospheric air has density around 1.225 kg/m³
1 lb/ft³ = 16.0185 kg/m³
Standard atmospheric air has density around 1.225 kg/m³
1 lb/in³ = 27,679.9 kg/m³
Standard atmospheric air has density around 1.225 kg/m³
1 kg/L = 1 g/cm³
Water has a density of 1 g/cm³ or 1000 kg/m³
1 g/L = 0.001 g/cm³
Water has a density of 1 g/cm³ or 1000 kg/m³
1000 mg/L = 1 g/L
Seawater typically has density around 1.025 g/L
1 slug/ft³ = 515.379 kg/m³
Standard atmospheric air has density around 1.225 kg/m³
1 lb/gal (US) = 119.826 kg/m³
Standard atmospheric air has density around 1.225 kg/m³
5,514 kg/m³ = Earth's mean density
This represents Earth's average density based on total mass and volume
Frequently Asked Questions About Density Conversion
To convert kilogram per cubic meter (kg/m³) to gram per cubic centimeter (g/cm³), divide by 1000. Since 1 kg = 1000 g and 1 m³ = 1,000,000 cm³, the conversion factor is straightforward: 1 kg/m³ = 0.001 g/cm³. Simply enter your value in kg/m³ and select g/cm³ as the target unit to get instant results.
Metric density units use kilograms or grams per cubic meter/centimeter (kg/m³, g/cm³) and are decimal-based, used internationally. Imperial units use pounds, ounces, or grains per cubic foot/inch or gallon (lb/ft³, oz/gal) and are traditional measurements used primarily in the US and UK. Our converter handles all conversions between these systems accurately.
To convert pound per cubic inch (lb/in³) to kilogram per cubic meter (kg/m³), multiply by 27,679.9. This accounts for both mass conversion (1 lb = 0.453592 kg) and volume conversion (1 in³ = 0.000016387 m³). The converter calculates this automatically - just select your units and enter the value.
The most common density units are: Kilogram per cubic meter (kg/m³) - SI base unit for density; Gram per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) - commonly used for solids; Pound per cubic foot (lb/ft³) - imperial common unit; Pound per gallon (US/UK) - for liquids; Kilogram per liter (kg/L) - equivalent to g/cm³; and Milligram per liter (mg/L) - for very dilute solutions.
Our density converter uses internationally standardized conversion factors from NIST and ISO standards. Results are calculated with up to 6 decimal places precision and automatically formatted. All conversions are based on official SI and imperial unit definitions, ensuring maximum accuracy for scientific, engineering, and industrial applications.
Yes! This density converter is suitable for engineering, scientific, and industrial applications. It supports units for materials science, fluid mechanics, manufacturing, quality control, and geological studies. All conversion factors meet international standards required for technical work, including specialized units like Earth's density and slug per cubic foot.
Earth's mean density is approximately 5,514 kg/m³, representing the average density calculated from Earth's total mass (5.972 × 10²⁴ kg) and volume. This specialized unit is included in our converter for geological and astronomical calculations. It helps scientists understand planetary composition and internal structure.
Our converter handles all gram per liter variations from exagram per liter (Eg/L = 10¹⁸ g/L) down to attogram per liter (ag/L = 10⁻¹⁸ g/L). Conversions work through the base unit. For example, 1 kg/L = 1,000 g/L, 1 mg/L = 0.001 g/L. Simply select your source and target units in the dropdown menus above.
A slug per cubic foot is an imperial unit where 1 slug = 14.5939 kg. One slug/ft³ equals 515.379 kg/m³. The slug is a mass unit derived from pounds-force and is commonly used in engineering calculations involving acceleration and force in the imperial system, particularly in structural engineering and mechanics.
The basic density conversion formula converts through the base unit (kg/m³). Formula: result = (value × from_unit_factor) / to_unit_factor. For example, to convert 1000 kg/m³ to g/cm³: (1000 × 1) / 1000 = 1 g/cm³. Our converter handles all 50+ unit conversions automatically using precise conversion factors.