Density Conversion Calculator
Written by Thierno Sadou Diallo, formula verified per our methodology • Last checked on 9/10/2026
To convert a density, it is reduced to a common unit (kg/m³), then converted into the new unit. For example, 1 g/cm³ (the density of water) equals exactly 1,000 kg/m³.
Explanation
Density (mass per unit volume) is expressed in different units depending on the field and country: the kilogram per cubic meter (kg/m³) is the SI unit, commonly used in engineering and construction; the gram per cubic centimeter (g/cm³), equivalent to the gram per milliliter (g/mL) since one cubic centimeter equals exactly one milliliter, remains widely used in chemistry and the laboratory for its readability on small samples; the pound per cubic foot (lb/ft³) is the reference imperial unit, used in the United States notably in civil engineering and construction. Converting a density means multiplying the value by the factor that reduces it to kg/m³, then dividing by the target unit's factor — exactly what this calculator does. A useful benchmark to remember: the density of pure water is exactly 1,000 kg/m³, that is 1 g/cm³ (a coincidence that follows directly from the historical definition of the gram and the liter), or about 62.4 lb/ft³ in imperial units. To convert a mass rather than a density, see our weight conversion calculator; for a volume, our volume conversion calculator.
Example: converting 1 g/cm³ to kg/m³
Inputs
Value: 1. Starting unit: g/cm³. Target unit: kg/m³.
Calculation
1 g/cm³ = 1 × 1,000 kg/m³ (direct conversion factor between the two units).
Result
1 g/cm³ equals exactly 1,000 kg/m³, the density of water.
Frequently asked questions
Why do g/cm³ and g/mL denote the same value?
Because a cubic centimeter (cm³) and a milliliter (mL) represent exactly the same volume by definition (1 cm³ = 1 mL). A density expressed in g/cm³ is therefore numerically identical to the same density expressed in g/mL, which is why the two notations are used interchangeably in chemistry and cooking.
Why is the density of water exactly 1,000 kg/m³?
Because the gram was historically defined as the mass of one cubic centimeter of pure water at 4 °C (its temperature of maximum density), before the kilogram was later redefined more precisely. This historical origin is why the density of water lands on such a round value in metric units (1 g/cm³ = 1,000 kg/m³), a coincidence that does not exist in the imperial system.
Does this conversion apply to any material?
Yes, the unit conversion itself (multiplying or dividing by the right factor) is valid for any density, whatever the material. Only the numerical value of the density changes from one material to another (air has a much lower density than water, iron a much higher one); this calculator converts only the unit in which that value is expressed, not the value itself.