Unit Conversion

Convert numbers between two units quickly and precisely

Density Converter

Unit Conversion

Convert density units: kg/m³, g/cm³, and pound per cubic foot

Density, defined as mass per volume, is stated in kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³), the SI unit, as well as in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³), kilograms per liter (kg/l), and grams per liter (g/l) – the latter especially common in chemistry. In the US, pound mass per cubic foot (lbm/ft³) is used.

Key conversion factors:

  • 1 gram per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) = 1,000 kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³)
  • 1 kilogram per liter (kg/l) = 1 gram per cubic centimeter
  • 1 gram per liter (g/l) = 1 kilogram per cubic meter
  • 1 pound mass per cubic foot (lbm/ft³) = 16.02 kg/m³
  • Water at 4 °C: 1 g/cm³ = 1,000 kg/m³

Applications:

  • Chemistry & materials science: comparing the density of solids, liquids, and gases
  • Construction: density values for concrete, wood, and metals
  • Physics: buoyancy calculations and floating/sinking behavior

The density converter supports comparing material properties and physics calculations. To calculate amount of substance from mass and molar mass, use the stoichiometry calculator.

Frequently asked questions about converting density

Water has a density of exactly 1,000 kg/m³ at 4 °C (its point of maximum density), which equals 1 g/cm³ or 1 kg/l. At other temperatures, the density deviates slightly from this.

Yes, both are numerically identical: 1 gram per cubic centimeter equals exactly 1 kilogram per liter. This is because 1 cm³ = 1 ml and 1,000 ml = 1 l, which makes the conversion factor cancel out exactly.

A substance floats on a liquid if its density is lower than that of the liquid. Oil (about 0.92 g/cm³) therefore floats on water (1.0 g/cm³), while most metals (well above 1 g/cm³) sink in it. Convert both densities to the same unit to compare them directly.