Erg
The erg is the CGS unit of energy, one dyne-centimetre, exactly 10⁻⁷ J.
Symbol: erg
Quantity: energy, work and heat
SI relation: 1 erg = 1 × 10⁻⁷ J (exact)
Derivation: 1 erg = 1 dyn·cm = 10⁻⁷ J
Exact: yes, by definition
Typical uses
- Astrophysics (luminosities in erg/s)
- Older physics literature
Convert ergs to other units
| Conversion | 1 erg equals | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| erg to joule | 1 × 10⁻⁷ J | joule to erg |
| erg to kilojoule | 1 × 10⁻¹⁰ kJ | kilojoule to erg |
| erg to kilocalorie | 2.390057361 × 10⁻¹¹ kcal | kilocalorie to erg |
| erg to kilowatt-hour | 2.777777778 × 10⁻¹⁴ kWh | kilowatt-hour to erg |
| erg to BTU | 9.478171203 × 10⁻¹¹ BTU | BTU to erg |
| erg to megajoule | 1 × 10⁻¹³ MJ | megajoule to erg |
| erg to calorie | 2.390057361 × 10⁻⁸ cal | calorie to erg |
| erg to watt-hour | 2.777777778 × 10⁻¹¹ Wh | watt-hour to erg |
| erg to therm | 9.48043428 × 10⁻¹⁶ thm | therm to erg |
| erg to electronvolt | 624150907400 eV | electronvolt to erg |
| erg to foot-pound | 7.375621493 × 10⁻⁸ ft·lbf | foot-pound to erg |
Open the Energy 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, "erg (erg)".
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). Erg. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/units/erg/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Erg," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 17, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/units/erg/