Convert Cubic Feet per Minute to cm³/s

Formula

cm³/s = CFM × 471.9474432

Derivation from SI units:

• 1 CFM = (0.3048 m)³ ÷ 60 s = 4.719474432 × 10⁻⁴ m³/s
• 1 cm³/s = 10⁻⁶ m³ ÷ 1 s
• 1 CFM = 0.0004719474432 m³/s ÷ 0.000001 m³/s per cm³/s = 471.9474432 cm³/s

Both units are defined exactly, so the factor is exact. Cubic Foot per Minute definition: cubic foot per minute; Cubic Centimeter per Second definition: cubic centimeter per second.

Worked examples

1. A reading of 100 CFM converts to 47194.74432 cm³/s.
   100 CFM × 471.9474432 = 47194.74432 cm³/s
2. A value of 800 CFM is 377557.9546 cm³/s.
   800 CFM × 471.9474432 = 377557.9546 cm³/s

Where it's used

Cubic Feet per Minute are used for US HVAC airflow (about 400 CFM per ton of cooling), while cubic centimeters per second appear in air permeability testers that report flow before dividing by area. Both measure volumetric flow rate (volume per unit time), so the conversion is a fixed factor.

Cubic Foot per Minute to other flow rate units

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI), NIST Special Publication 811, 2008 Edition, National Institute of Standards and Technology , Appendix B.8, "cubic foot per minute (ft³/min)".
• The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures , Table 2 with SI prefix centi.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-15. Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.