UnitsConverter

Kilogram-force per Square Meter (kgf/m²) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:kgf/m²
Plural:kilograms-force per square meter
Category:Pressure

🔄 Quick Convert Kilogram-force per Square Meter

See all Pressure conversions →

What is a Kilogram-force per Square Meter?

Kilogram-force per square meter (kgf/m², kg/m²) measures very low pressure. 1 kgf/m² = 9.807 Pa ≈ 0.0361 mbar. Rarely used—mostly obsolete metric gravitational unit. Sometimes confused with Pascal in older literature.

History of the Kilogram-force per Square Meter

Historical metric gravitational pressure unit. Based on kilogram-force over square meter. Confusingly, 1 kgf/m² = 1 Pa numerically similar but different units. Replaced by Pascal in SI system. Rarely seen in modern usage except very old documents.

Quick Answer

What is kgf/m²? Kilogram-force per square meter (kgf/m², kg/m²) is obsolete low-pressure unit. 1 kgf/m² = 9.807 Pa ≈ 0.0361 mbar. Almost never used in modern practice—replaced by Pascal. Occasionally appears in very old technical documents. Use our pressure converter for conversions.

Definition

1 kgf/m² = 9.807 Pa = 0.009807 kPa = 0.09807 mbar = 0.001422 PSI = 0.0736 mmHg

Also written as: kg/m², kgf·m⁻², kilogram-force per square meter

Physical meaning: Pressure exerted by 1 kilogram-force distributed over 1 square meter

Relationship to other kgf units:

  • 10,000 kgf/m² = 1 kgf/cm² (technical atmosphere)
  • 1 kgf/m² = 1 mm water column (approximately)

Common Uses

Obsolete: Rarely used in modern engineering. Historical Documents: May appear in pre-1980s European/Soviet technical literature. Confusion Source: Sometimes mistaken for Pascal in old documents.

Real-World Examples

Why This Unit Exists (Historical Context)

Before SI adoption (pre-1970s), some engineering fields used gravitational metric units:

  • kgf/m²: Very low pressures (ventilation, building pressure)
  • kgf/cm²: Moderate/high pressures (hydraulics, materials)

Problem: Ambiguity between mass and force (kg vs kgf)

Approximate Equivalents

  • 1 kgf/m² ≈ 10 Pa (actually 9.807 Pa)
  • 1 kgf/m² ≈ 1 mm water column (close approximation)
  • 100 kgf/m² ≈ 1 mbar ≈ 1 hPa

Where You Might See This Unit

Old HVAC documents (pre-1980s):

  • Building pressurization: 1-10 kgf/m²
  • Ventilation pressure: 5-50 kgf/m²

Old meteorology (very rare):

  • Barometric pressure changes: ±50 kgf/m² per hour
  • (Modern: ±5 hPa/hour)

Soviet-era engineering:

  • Technical specifications from USSR
  • Russian documents from 1950s-1980s

Agricultural/Soil Science (historical):

  • Soil compaction: 100-1,000 kgf/m²
  • (Modern: 1-10 kPa)

Unit Confusion in Old Documents

Watch out: Old documents may use "kg/m²" when they mean:

  1. kgf/m² (pressure) = 9.807 Pa
  2. Mass per area (kg/m², not pressure) = surface density
  3. Pa (incorrectly labeled as kg/m²)

Example confusion:

  • Document says "pressure 100 kg/m²"
  • Could mean: 100 kgf/m² = 981 Pa ≈ 1 kPa
  • Or could mean: 100 Pa (mislabeled)
  • Context and era required to interpret!

Kilogram-force per Square Meter Conversion Formulas

To Pascal:

1 kgf/m² = 9.80665 Pa
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 49.03325 pascals

To Kilopascal:

1 kgf/m² = 0.009807 kPa
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.049033 kilopascals

To Megapascal:

1 kgf/m² = 0.00001 MPa
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.000049 megapascals

To Hectopascal:

1 kgf/m² = 0.098067 hPa
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.490332 hectopascals

To Bar:

1 kgf/m² = 0.000098 bar
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.00049 bars

To Millibar:

1 kgf/m² = 0.098067 mbar
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.490332 millibars

To Atmosphere:

1 kgf/m² = 0.000097 atm
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.000484 atmospheres

To Technical Atmosphere:

1 kgf/m² = 0.0001 at
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.0005 technical atmospheres

To Torr:

1 kgf/m² = 0.073556 Torr
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.36778 torr

To Millimeter of Mercury:

1 kgf/m² = 0.073556 mmHg
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.36778 millimeters of mercury

To Inch of Mercury:

1 kgf/m² = 0.002896 inHg
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.01448 inches of mercury

To Pound per Square Inch:

1 kgf/m² = 0.001422 psi
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.007112 pounds per square inch

To Kilopound per Square Inch:

1 kgf/m² = 0.000001 ksi
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.000007 kilopounds per square inch

To Kilogram-force per Square Centimeter:

1 kgf/m² = 0.0001 kgf/cm²
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.0005 kilograms-force per square centimeter

To Millimeter of Water Column:

1 kgf/m² = 1 mmH₂O
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 5 millimeters of water column

To Inch of Water Column:

1 kgf/m² = 0.03937 inH₂O
Example: 5 kilograms-force per square meter = 0.19685 inches of water column

Frequently Asked Questions

Formula: Pa = kgf/m² × 9.807 Examples:

  • 1 kgf/m² = 9.807 Pa ≈ 10 Pa
  • 10 kgf/m² = 98.07 Pa ≈ 0.1 kPa
  • 100 kgf/m² = 980.7 Pa ≈ 1 kPa
  • 1,000 kgf/m² = 9,807 Pa ≈ 10 kPa Quick approximation: Multiply by 10 to get Pa (2% error) kgf/m² to Pascal converter →

Convert Kilogram-force per Square Meter

Need to convert Kilogram-force per Square Meter to other pressure units? Use our conversion tool.

Go to Pressure ConverterConvert from Kilogram-force per Square Meter

Kilogram-force per Square Meter Quick Info

kgf/m²
Symbol:kgf/m²
Category:Pressure
System:Various
Convert Kilogram-force per Square Meter

Related Pressure Units

View all 16 Pressure units →

Popular Conversions

See all pressure conversions →