Surface Tension Converter
Convert between newtons per meter, millinewtons per meter, dynes per centimeter and other units of surface tension.
1 newton per meter = 1,000 dynes per centimeter
Most used surface tension units
- Newton per meter N/m Base unit
- Dyne per centimeter dyn/cm 1 dyn/cm = 0.001 N/m
- Millinewton per meter mN/m 1 mN/m = 0.001 N/m
- Erg per square centimeter erg/cm² 1 erg/cm² = 0.001 N/m
- Pound-force per inch lbf/in 1 lbf/in = 175.12683 N/m
- Gram-force per centimeter gf/cm 1 gf/cm = 0.980665 N/m
- Pound-force per foot lbf/ft 1 lbf/ft = 14.593903 N/m
Popular surface tension conversions
- Dynes per centimeter to newtons per meter 1 dyn/cm = 0.001 N/m
- Newtons per meter to dynes per centimeter 1 N/m = 1,000 dyn/cm
- Millinewtons per meter to dynes per centimeter 1 mN/m = 1 dyn/cm
What is surface tension?
Surface tension is the tendency of a liquid surface to shrink, as if covered by a thin elastic skin. It lets insects walk on water, pulls droplets into spheres and draws water up narrow tubes. It is measured as force per unit length; the SI unit is the newton per meter, and the traditional unit, the dyne per centimeter, equals exactly one millinewton per meter.
Water has an unusually high surface tension, about 72 mN/m at 25 °C; soap lowers it to around 25–30 mN/m, which is why soapy water wets surfaces better.
Surface tension units from smallest to largest
Every proportional surface tension unit on the site, ordered by size and expressed in newtons per meter.
- Millinewton per meter 0.001 N/m
- Dyne per centimeter 0.001 N/m
- Erg per square centimeter 0.001 N/m
- Gram-force per centimeter 0.980665 N/m
- Newton per meter 1 N/m
- Pound-force per foot 14.5939 N/m
- Pound-force per inch 175.127 N/m
All 7 surface tension units
Units
Frequently asked questions
How many mN/m is 1 dyn/cm?
Exactly 1: 1 dyn/cm = 1 mN/m = 0.001 N/m.
What is the surface tension of water?
About 72.8 mN/m at 20 °C.