Convert Poises to Centipoises
Convert Poises (P) to Centipoises (cP) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
cP = P × 100
About Poises
The poise (P) equals 0.1 Pa·s (exact), defined in the CGS system as 1 g/(cm·s). Named after Jean Louis Marie Poiseuille, it was the dominant viscosity unit before SI adoption. Fluid-mechanics textbooks and older ASTM and API data tables still list viscosities in P. Motor oil at 100 °C is ≈0.02-0.05 P; water at 20 °C is ≈0.01 P (= 1 cP). 1 P = 0.1 Pa·s = 100 cP.
About Centipoises
The centipoise (cP) equals 10⁻³ Pa·s, numerically equal to 1 mPa·s. It remains the most widely used practical unit in industry because water at 20 °C has a viscosity of almost exactly 1 cP. Process engineers, petroleum analysts, and food technologists all specify viscosity in cP. Motor oil SAE 10W has a cold-viscosity limit of ≈3 500 cP at -25 °C. 1 cP = 10⁻³ Pa·s = 10⁻² P.
Quick Reference Table
| Poises (P) | Centipoises (cP) |
|---|---|
| 1 P | 100 cP |
| 2 P | 200 cP |
| 5 P | 500 cP |
| 10 P | 1000 cP |
| 25 P | 2500 cP |
| 50 P | 5000 cP |
| 100 P | 10000 cP |