Centipoise (cP)
The centipoise (cP) is one hundredth of a poise, exactly 1 mPa·s. Water at 20 °C is almost exactly 1 cP, which made it a convenient reference.
Symbol: cP
Quantity: dynamic (absolute) viscosity
SI relation: 1 cP = 0.001 Pa·s (exact)
Derivation: 1 cP = 0.01 P = 10⁻³ Pa·s
Exact: yes, by definition
Same quantity as millipascal-second (mPa·s) : the factor between them is exactly 1.
Typical uses
- Product and resin viscosities (e.g. 500 cP)
- Oils, syrups and coatings
- Brookfield viscometer readings
Convert centipoise to other units
| Conversion | 1 cP equals | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| centipoise to pascal-second | 0.001 Pa·s | pascal-second to centipoise |
| centipoise to millipascal-second | 1 mPa·s | millipascal-second to centipoise |
| centipoise to poise | 0.01 P | poise to centipoise |
| centipoise to pound-force second per square foot | 0.00002088543423 lbf·s/ft² | pound-force second per square foot to centipoise |
| centipoise to pound per foot-second | 0.0006719689751 lb/(ft·s) | pound per foot-second to centipoise |
Open the Dynamic Viscosity Converter to convert any value between all units.
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, "centipoise (cP)".
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
Cite this page
APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Centipoise (cP). Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/units/centipoise/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Centipoise (cP)," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 17, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/units/centipoise/