Surface Tension Converter

ConversionEdited by Hemant Kumar and Anjita Rai, founders · How we checkUpdated Free · No sign-up

Quick answer: Choose a starting unit and a target unit, then enter a value. Common conversions: 1 N/m = 1,000 mN/m; 1 N/m = 1,000 dyn/cm; 1 N/m = 0.005710147 lbf/in. This converter covers 7 surface tension units.

Use the Surface Tension Converter

Surface Tension formula and what each symbol means

target = value × (factor of starting unit ÷ factor of target unit), where each factor is the unit value in N/m.

Symbols used in the formula
SymbolMeaning
valueThe number you want to convert
factorThe unit’s size expressed in the base unit (N/m)

Surface Tension examples

N/m to mN/m

10 N/m = 10,000 mN/m.

N/m to dyn/cm

10 N/m = 10,000 dyn/cm.

N/m to lbf/in

10 N/m = 0.05710147 lbf/in.

How to calculate Surface Tension step by step

  1. Choose the starting unit and the target unit.
  2. Enter your value.
  3. Read the converted value, plus the conversion factor in both directions.

Popular surface tension conversions

How to read your Surface Tension result

Surface tension is force per unit length along a liquid surface. The SI unit is newton per metre. One dyn/cm equals exactly 1 mN/m, and water is about 72 mN/m at 20 °C.

UNITSYMBOLEQUALSVALUE OF 1 N/M
Newton per meterN/m1 N/m = 1 N/m1 N/m
Millinewton per metermN/m1 mN/m = 0.001 N/m1,000 mN/m
Dyne per centimeterdyn/cm1 dyn/cm = 0.001 N/m1,000 dyn/cm
Erg per square centimetererg/cm²1 erg/cm² = 0.001 N/m1,000 erg/cm²
Pound-force per footlbf/ft1 lbf/ft = 14.593903 N/m0.06852177 lbf/ft
Pound-force per inchlbf/in1 lbf/in = 175.12684 N/m0.005710147 lbf/in
Gram-force per centimetergf/cm1 gf/cm = 0.980665 N/m1.019716 gf/cm

Common mistakes when calculating Surface Tension

  • Mixing N/m with mN/m, which differ by 1,000.
  • Forgetting that dyn/cm and mN/m are the same size.
  • Quoting surface tension without temperature.

Surface Tension FAQ

Is 1 dyn/cm equal to 1 mN/m?

Yes. Both equal 0.001 N/m.

How many N/m is 1 lbf/in?

About 175.127 N/m.

What is the surface tension of water?

About 72 mN/m at 20 °C.

What is the base unit for surface tension?

This converter uses newton per meter (N/m) as the common base unit: every value is first converted to it and then to the target unit.

How do I convert between two surface tension units?

Choose the starting and target units, enter the value and read the result. By hand: convert to the base unit with the table, then divide by the target unit factor.

How many millinewtons per meter are in 1 newton per meter?

1 N/m = 1,000 mN/m.

How many dynes per centimeter are in 1 newton per meter?

1 N/m = 1,000 dyn/cm.

How many lbf per inch are in 1 newton per meter?

1 N/m = 0.005710147 lbf/in.

Which surface tension units does this converter support?

It covers 7 units: newton per meter (N/m), millinewton per meter (mN/m), dyne per centimeter (dyn/cm), erg per square centimeter (erg/cm²), pound-force per foot (lbf/ft), pound-force per inch (lbf/in), gram-force per centimeter (gf/cm).

How accurate is the surface tension converter?

Results are calculated at full double precision and shown to about 8 significant figures. Round the answer to the precision of your original measurement; a result cannot be more accurate than the number you started with.

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Method, review and disclaimer

Edited by: Hemant Kumar and Anjita Rai, founders of ToolsVault (SEO and content professional, not a licensed adviser). Method: this tool runs in your browser using the formula shown on this page; the numbers you enter are not sent to our servers. Sources: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8: conversion factors, BIPM: the International System of Units (SI)