dyne second/sq. centimeter Unit Converter

Definition of dyne second/sq. centimeter unit

The dyne-second per square centimeter is the poise (P), the CGS unit of dynamic viscosity. A viscosity of one poise means that a shear stress of one dyne per square centimeter produces a velocity gradient of one reciprocal second.

History of dyne second/sq. centimeter unit

The poise is named after Jean Léonard Marie Poiseuille, the French physician and physicist whose nineteenth-century studies of blood flow established important relationships between viscosity and fluid motion. It belongs to the CGS system, where force is measured in dynes, distance in centimeters, and time in seconds. The unit emerged from applying Newton’s law of viscosity to capillary flow and layered fluids. Although the poise remains scientifically valid, modern standards generally favor the SI pascal-second. One poise equals 0.1 pascal-second, while the centipoise remains widely encountered.

Applications of dyne second/sq. centimeter unit

The poise is used to describe highly viscous liquids, including heavy oils, glycerol, syrups, paints, printing inks, and some polymers. In laboratory and industrial work, it supports calculations involving pumping, pipe flow, lubrication, coating, and material processing. Because one poise is relatively large, measurements are often reported in centipoises; water at room temperature is approximately one centipoise.

Complete list of dyne second/sq. centimeter unit conversion