Viscosity Conversion Calculator
Written by Thierno Sadou Diallo, formula verified per our methodology • Last checked on 9/10/2026
To convert a dynamic viscosity, it is reduced to the pascal-second (the SI unit), then converted into the new unit. 1 Pa·s equals 10 poise, that is 1,000 centipoise.
Explanation
Dynamic viscosity measures a fluid's resistance to flow under a shear stress — it is the quantity that distinguishes, for example, honey (very viscous) from water (barely viscous). The pascal-second (Pa·s) is the SI unit, but the poise (named after the French physiologist Jean Léonard Marie Poiseuille) and especially its submultiple the centipoise remain very widely used in industry, particularly in the United States and in the petroleum, food, and cosmetics sectors. The centipoise is a convenient practical benchmark because the viscosity of water at 20°C is almost exactly 1 centipoise (1 mPa·s) — a useful numerical coincidence for intuitively gauging the order of magnitude of a given viscosity: motor oil is generally between 100 and 300 cP, honey between 2,000 and 10,000 cP depending on its temperature. This converter handles only DYNAMIC viscosity (µ), not to be confused with KINEMATIC viscosity (ν, in m²/s or stokes), which is the ratio of dynamic viscosity to the fluid's density — see our dynamic and kinematic viscosity calculator for that physical relationship, distinct from a simple unit conversion.
Example: converting 1 Pa·s to centipoise
Inputs
Value: 1. Starting unit: pascal-second. Target unit: centipoise.
Calculation
1 Pa·s × 1 (Pa·s factor) = 1, divided by 0.001 (centipoise factor) = 1,000.
Result
1 pascal-second equals 1,000 centipoise.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the viscosity of water almost exactly 1 centipoise?
It is a convenient historical coincidence rather than a physical necessity: at 20°C, the dynamic viscosity of water is about 1.002 mPa·s (1.002 centipoise), a value so close to 1 that it is often used as a mental benchmark for judging whether another fluid is more or less viscous than water at room temperature.
Why are the poise and centipoise still used despite the International System?
These CGS (centimeter-gram-second) units remain deeply entrenched in some historical industrial sectors, notably petroleum and cosmetics in the United States, where they still commonly appear on product data sheets, just like other non-SI units still in use such as psi for pressure (see our pressure conversion calculator), despite the official adoption of the International System.
Does this converter let you go from dynamic viscosity to kinematic viscosity?
No, these are two different physical quantities that cannot be converted into each other by a simple numerical factor: their relationship depends on the fluid's density (ν = µ ÷ ρ). Use our dynamic and kinematic viscosity calculator to perform that physical calculation, which requires knowing the density of the fluid in question.