Surface Density Converter
Unit conversion between surface density units, including kilograms per square meter (kg/m²), pounds per square foot (lb/ft²), and grams per square centimeter (g/cm²). Useful for material science and engineering calculations.
Result
g/m²
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Conversion Formula
1 kg/m² 1.000000 × 1000 → 1000.000000 g/m²
About Surface Density
Surface density is the mass of a substance per unit of area. It has widespread use in material science, textiles, coatings, and aerospace.
- kg/m² – SI unit of surface density, used in physics and engineering.
- g/m², mg/cm² – Units of measure for coating, packaging, and thin film.
- lb/ft², lb/in² – Imperial units of the aerospace and construction industry.
- oz/yd² – Standard in textiles and fabrics (e.g. GSM).
Surface Density Units
Surface density is a physical unit that indicates the amount of mass spread on a particular surface area. It is a critical measurement employed in materials science, construction, textile, and coatings. Experts can evaluate the quality, strength, or efficiency of materials in use or manufacture by knowing the surface density.
The most widely used unit of measurement in the metric scale is the kilogram per square meter (kg/m²), which is widely applied in engineering and construction. For lighter or more specialized materials, gram per square meter (g/m²) is typically used—especially in textile and paper production, where it is also known as GSM (grams per square meter). For even lower levels, milligram per square centimeter (mg/cm²) is used in thin-film technology and the process of pharmaceutical coating.
In the US customary and the imperial system, units like pound per square inch (lb/in²) and pound per square foot (lb/ft²) are employed in applications of insulation, roofing, and building materials. Ounce per square yard (oz/yd²) is another unit that is found primarily in the US textile market and is used to grade fabrics by weight and hardness.
Proper choice of the unit of surface density is essential for accurate measurement, product definition, and multi-disciplinary communication. It gives unity of design, safety, and performance to all industries.
Common Units of Surface Density
- Kilogram per square meter (kg/m²): Commonly used in engineering and construction for general surface mass measurements.
- Gram per square meter (g/m²): Standard in textile and paper industries, also referred to as GSM.
- Milligram per square centimeter (mg/cm²): Used in precision fields like pharmaceuticals and coatings.
- Pound per square foot (lb/ft²): Used in building materials, especially in the US.
- Pound per square inch (lb/in²): Applied in high-pressure material measurements and insulation.
- Ounce per square yard (oz/yd²): Common in US textile markets to describe fabric weight and quality.