Popular conversions
1 pairsKilogram per Cubic Meter ↔ Gram per Cubic Centimeter
kg/m³ ↔ g/cm³
Unit guides
2 unitsDetailed guide to Density
Density describes how much mass is packed into a given volume. It determines whether an object floats or sinks and is a key input for hydrostatic pressure and fluid-flow calculations.
Kilogram per cubic meter is the SI derived unit of density, while gram per cubic centimeter is common in laboratory and chemistry contexts.
- Physical quantity
- Density (mass per volume)
- SI unit
- Kilogram per cubic meter
- SI symbol
- kg/m³
- Water density
- ≈ 1000 kg/m³ (at 4 °C)
- Typical use
- Materials, fluids and hydrostatic calculations
What is density?
Density is mass divided by volume: ρ = m / V. It tells you how heavy a substance is relative to how much space it occupies.
A large numerical range separates common materials: air is about 1.2 kg/m³, water about 1000 kg/m³, and steel about 7850 kg/m³.
kg/m³ and g/cm³
One kilogram per cubic meter equals exactly 0.001 grams per cubic centimeter, since the two units differ by a factor of 1000.
Laboratories often use g/cm³ for small samples, while engineering and scientific work generally defaults to kg/m³.
How is density used in engineering?
Density is a direct input to the hydrostatic pressure formula (ΔP = ρgh) and to the Reynolds number, which determines whether a fluid flow is laminar or turbulent.
Comparing the densities of materials also guides selection in construction, shipping and manufacturing, where weight per unit volume affects cost and performance.
Density units
| Unit | Symbol | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Kilogram per Cubic Meter | kg/m³ | View unit guide |
| Gram per Cubic Centimeter | g/cm³ | View unit guide |
Sources
The definitions and conversion relationships on this page are aligned with standard metrology and SI reference material.