Square Centimeter (cm²) - Unit Information & Conversion
What is a Square Centimeter?
Definition
The square centimeter (symbol: cm²) is a unit of area in the metric system. It represents the area of a square with sides that are each one centimeter long.
History
Derived directly from the centimeter (one-hundredth of a meter), the square centimeter became a standard small-scale unit of area with the adoption of the metric system during the French Revolution. It provides a finer measurement than the square meter for smaller objects.
Common Uses
- Science: Measuring the surface area of small samples, cross-sectional areas in biology or material science.
- Medical Imaging: Often used to measure the area of lesions, organs, or specific regions in scans (e.g., MRI, CT).
- Education: Used in geometry problems and science experiments for teaching area concepts at a smaller scale.
- Manufacturing: Specifying the area of small components or surface features.
Unit FAQs
How many square millimeters are in a square centimeter?
There are 100 square millimeters (mm²) in one square centimeter (10 mm x 10 mm).
How many square centimeters are in a square meter?
There are 10,000 square centimeters in one square meter (100 cm x 100 cm).
How many square inches are in a square centimeter?
One square centimeter is approximately 0.155 square inches.
Is cm² commonly used for large areas?
No, cm² is used for very small areas. Square meters (m²) or hectares (ha) are used for larger land or floor areas.
Square Centimeter Conversion Formulas
To Square Meter:
To Square Kilometer:
To Square Millimeter:
To Square Inch:
To Square Foot:
To Square Yard:
To Square Mile:
To Acre:
To Hectare:
Convert Square Centimeter
Need to convert Square Centimeter to other area units? Use our conversion tool.