Thermal Conductivity Converter
Quick answer: Choose a starting unit and a target unit, then enter a value. Common conversions: 1 W/(m·K) = 0.5777893 Btu/(h·ft·°F); 1 W/(m·K) = 6.933472 Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F); 1 W/(m·K) = 0.01 W/(cm·K). This converter covers 7 thermal conductivity units.
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Use the Thermal Conductivity Converter
Thermal Conductivity formula and what each symbol means
target = value × (factor of starting unit ÷ factor of target unit), where each factor is the unit value in W/(m·K).
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| value | The number you want to convert |
| factor | The unit’s size expressed in the base unit (W/(m·K)) |
Thermal Conductivity examples
W/(m·K) to Btu/(h·ft·°F)
10 W/(m·K) = 5.777893 Btu/(h·ft·°F).
W/(m·K) to Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F)
10 W/(m·K) = 69.33472 Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F).
W/(m·K) to W/(cm·K)
10 W/(m·K) = 0.1 W/(cm·K).
How to calculate Thermal Conductivity step by step
- Choose the starting unit and the target unit.
- Enter your value.
- Read the converted value, plus the conversion factor in both directions.
Popular thermal conductivity conversions
- Watts per meter kelvin to Btu per hour foot °F converter
- Watts per meter kelvin to Btu inches per hour square foot °F converter
- Watts per meter kelvin to Watts per centimeter kelvin converter
- Btu per hour foot °F to Watts per meter kelvin converter
- Btu per hour foot °F to Btu inches per hour square foot °F converter
- Btu per hour foot °F to Watts per centimeter kelvin converter
- Btu inches per hour square foot °F to Watts per meter kelvin converter
- Btu inches per hour square foot °F to Btu per hour foot °F converter
- Btu inches per hour square foot °F to Watts per centimeter kelvin converter
- Watts per centimeter kelvin to Watts per meter kelvin converter
- Watts per centimeter kelvin to Btu per hour foot °F converter
- Watts per centimeter kelvin to Btu inches per hour square foot °F converter
How to read your Thermal Conductivity result
Thermal conductivity is how well a material conducts heat. The SI unit is watt per metre kelvin. Copper is roughly 400 W/(m·K), water about 0.6, and still air near 0.026, which is why trapped air insulates well.
| UNIT | SYMBOL | EQUALS | VALUE OF 1 W/(M·K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watt per meter kelvin | W/(m·K) | 1 W/(m·K) = 1 W/(m·K) | 1 W/(m·K) |
| Watt per centimeter kelvin | W/(cm·K) | 1 W/(cm·K) = 100 W/(m·K) | 0.01 W/(cm·K) |
| Kilowatt per meter kelvin | kW/(m·K) | 1 kW/(m·K) = 1,000 W/(m·K) | 0.001 kW/(m·K) |
| Calorie per second centimeter °C | cal/(s·cm·°C) | 1 cal/(s·cm·°C) = 418.4 W/(m·K) | 0.002390057 cal/(s·cm·°C) |
| Kilocalorie per hour meter °C | kcal/(h·m·°C) | 1 kcal/(h·m·°C) = 1.1622222 W/(m·K) | 0.8604207 kcal/(h·m·°C) |
| Btu per hour foot °F | Btu/(h·ft·°F) | 1 Btu/(h·ft·°F) = 1.7307347 W/(m·K) | 0.5777893 Btu/(h·ft·°F) |
| Btu inch per hour square foot °F | Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F) | 1 Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F) = 0.14422789 W/(m·K) | 6.933472 Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F) |
Common mistakes when calculating Thermal Conductivity
- Mixing Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F), which includes a thickness in inches, with Btu/(h·ft·°F), which uses feet.
- Forgetting that W/(cm·K) is 100 times bigger than W/(m·K).
- Confusing conductivity with the heat transfer coefficient, which has a different unit.
Thermal Conductivity FAQ
How many W/(m·K) is 1 Btu/(h·ft·°F)?
About 1.7307 W/(m·K).
How many W/(m·K) is 1 Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F)?
About 0.14423 W/(m·K).
Which materials have high thermal conductivity?
Metals such as copper and aluminium conduct heat well, while foam and still air conduct it poorly.
What is the base unit for thermal conductivity?
This converter uses watt per meter kelvin (W/(m·K)) as the common base unit: every value is first converted to it and then to the target unit.
How do I convert between two thermal conductivity 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 Btu per hour foot °F are in 1 watt per meter kelvin?
1 W/(m·K) = 0.5777893 Btu/(h·ft·°F).
How many Btu inches per hour square foot °F are in 1 watt per meter kelvin?
1 W/(m·K) = 6.933472 Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F).
How many watts per centimeter kelvin are in 1 watt per meter kelvin?
1 W/(m·K) = 0.01 W/(cm·K).
Which thermal conductivity units does this converter support?
It covers 7 units: watt per meter kelvin (W/(m·K)), watt per centimeter kelvin (W/(cm·K)), kilowatt per meter kelvin (kW/(m·K)), Calorie per second centimeter °C (cal/(s·cm·°C)), Kilocalorie per hour meter °C (kcal/(h·m·°C)), Btu per hour foot °F (Btu/(h·ft·°F)), Btu inch per hour square foot °F (Btu·in/(h·ft²·°F)).
How accurate is the thermal conductivity 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.
More in Thermal Conductivity converters
- Watts per centimeter kelvin to Btu inches per hour square foot °F Converter
- Btu per hour foot °F to Watts per meter kelvin Converter
- Watts per centimeter kelvin to Btu per hour foot °F Converter
- Btu per hour foot °F to Watts per centimeter kelvin Converter
- Watts per centimeter kelvin to Watts per meter kelvin Converter
- Btu per hour foot °F to Btu inches per hour square foot °F Converter
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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)