Watt per square centimeter (W/cm²)
Exactly 10,000 W/m². Used for lasers and electronics cooling.
What is a watt per square centimeter?
- Symbol
- W/cm²
- Quantity
- Heat Flux Density
- Unit system
- SI
- Definition
- Exactly 10,000 W/m². Used for lasers and electronics cooling.
- Exact
- Yes, the value is exact by definition
- Source
- SI Brochure, 9th edition (BIPM, 2019)
Common applications
Used for laser intensity, electronics and chip cooling, and boiling heat transfer.
Watt per square centimeter in other heat flux density units
- 1 W/cm² = 10000 W/m²Watt per square meter
- 1 W/cm² = 10 kW/m²Kilowatt per square meter
- 1 W/cm² ≈ 3169.983306 BTU/(h·ft²)BTU per hour square foot
- 1 W/cm² ≈ 8598.452279 kcal/(h·m²)Kilocalorie (IT) per hour square meter
- 1 W/cm² ≈ 0.2390057361 cal/(s·cm²)Calorie (thermochemical) per second square centimeter
Watt per square centimeter quick reference
| Watt per square centimeter | Watt per square meter | BTU per hour square foot | Kilowatt per square meter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 W/cm² | = 10000 W/m² | ≈ 3169.983306 BTU/(h·ft²) | = 10 kW/m² |
| 10 W/cm² | = 100000 W/m² | ≈ 31699.83306 BTU/(h·ft²) | = 100 kW/m² |
| 100 W/cm² | = 1000000 W/m² | ≈ 316998.3306 BTU/(h·ft²) | = 1000 kW/m² |
| 1000 W/cm² | = 10000000 W/m² | ≈ 3169983.306 BTU/(h·ft²) | = 10000 kW/m² |
Where the watt per square centimeter fits
The next smaller heat flux density unit is the kilowatt per square meter (kW/m²). 1 W/cm² = 10 kW/m², and 1 kW/m² = 0.1 W/cm².
The next larger heat flux density unit is the calorie (thermochemical) per second square centimeter (cal/(s·cm²)). 1 W/cm² ≈ 0.2390057361 cal/(s·cm²), and 1 cal/(s·cm²) = 4.184 W/cm².
Frequently asked questions
- How many watts per square meter are in one watt per square centimeter?
- One watt per square centimeter = 10000 W/m² (watts per square meter).
- How many BTUs per hour square foot are in one watt per square centimeter?
- One watt per square centimeter ≈ 3169.983306 BTU/(h·ft²) (BTUs per hour square foot).
- How many kilowatts per square meter are in one watt per square centimeter?
- One watt per square centimeter = 10 kW/m² (kilowatts per square meter).