Acceleration Converter: m/s², g, ft/s² & More
Convert acceleration between m/s², g (standard gravity), ft/s², Gal, and 18 units. Whether you need m/s² to g, foot per square second to m/s², or any SI, CGS, or imperial unit, this converter uses the SI base (meter per square second) for accurate results. Free, runs in your browser—no sign-up required.
What is acceleration?
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity—how quickly speed or direction changes per unit time. Its dimension is length per time squared (e.g. m/s²). The SI unit is meter per square second (m/s²). In engineering and physics you’ll see g (standard gravity, 9.80665 m/s²), Gal (galileo, 1 cm/s²), and imperial ft/s² or in/s². This converter supports 18 units from attometer per square second to mile per square second, plus Gal and g. Every value is normalized to m/s² under the hood.
How acceleration conversion works
Acceleration is change in velocity per unit time, so its dimension is length per time squared (e.g. m/s²). Convert your value into m/s² using the source unit’s factor, then divide by the target unit’s factor:
Example: 1 g to m/s² → 1 × 9.80665 ÷ 1 = 9.80665 m/s². Standard gravity (1 g) is about 9.81 m/s². The converter supports SI multiples (km/s², cm/s², mm/s², µm/s², etc.), Gal (galileo), imperial (ft/s², in/s², mi/s²), and acceleration of gravity (g).
Key Acceleration Units Explained
Each unit’s factor to m/s² — what this acceleration converter uses. All are length/time²; SI uses meter and second, CGS uses centimeter (gal), and imperial uses foot or inch per second squared.
Meter/square second (m/s²)
Factor: 1 (SI base unit)
The SI derived unit for acceleration. Used in physics, engineering, and dynamics. Free-fall at Earth’s surface is about 9.8 m/s².
Kilometer/square second (km/s²)
Factor: 1 km/s² = 1000 m/s²
Used in astronautics and high-energy physics. 1 km/s² is 1000 m/s².
Centimeter/square second (cm/s²)
Factor: 1 cm/s² = 0.01 m/s²
CGS unit. 100 cm/s² = 1 m/s². Common in seismology and geophysics (e.g. peak ground acceleration).
Gal (Galileo)
Factor: 1 Gal = 0.01 m/s² = 1 cm/s²
Named after Galileo. 1 Gal = 1 cm/s². Used in gravimetry, geodesy, and seismology (e.g. 1 g ≈ 980 Gal).
Foot/square second (ft/s²)
Factor: 1 ft/s² ≈ 0.3048 m/s²
US and UK engineering. 1 ft/s² = 0.3048 m/s² (one foot = 0.3048 m). Standard gravity ≈ 32.174 ft/s².
Acceleration of gravity (g)
Factor:
Standard gravity: 9.80665 m/s² (CGPM). Used in aerospace (g-loads), mechanics, and when comparing to “Earth gravity.”
When to use m/s² vs g vs ft/s² vs Gal
m/s² is the SI unit and is preferred in physics and textbook formulas. g (standard gravity) is used in aerospace (g-loads), mechanics, and when comparing to “Earth gravity” (e.g. 2 g = 19.6 m/s²). ft/s² and in/s² appear in US/UK engineering specs. Gal (1 cm/s²) is used in gravimetry, geodesy, and seismology—standard gravity is about 980 Gal. This converter supports all of these so you can match datasheets and formulas.
Who uses an acceleration converter?
Mechanical and aerospace engineers convert between g, m/s², and ft/s² for load factors and dynamics. Students and educators use it to check homework (e.g. “convert 1 g to m/s²”) and to relate formulas (in m/s²) to real-world specs. Seismology and geophysics work with Gal and cm/s² (peak ground acceleration). Free-fall at Earth’s surface is about 9.8 m/s² (1 g); a car braking hard might reach 8–10 m/s². All conversions run in your browser—no data is sent to a server.
Common acceleration conversions at a glance
Handy reference for m/s² to g, ft/s² to m/s², and other everyday acceleration conversions.
| From | To | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| m/s² | g | ÷ 9.80665 | 9.81 m/s² ≈ 1 g |
| g | m/s² | × 9.80665 | 1 g = 9.80665 m/s² |
| ft/s² | m/s² | × 0.3048 | 32.174 ft/s² ≈ 9.81 m/s² |
| m/s² | ft/s² | ÷ 0.3048 | 1 m/s² ≈ 3.28 ft/s² |
| Gal | m/s² | × 0.01 | 980 Gal ≈ 9.8 m/s² |
| cm/s² | m/s² | ÷ 100 | 100 cm/s² = 1 m/s² |
Why meter per square second is the SI unit
Acceleration is the time derivative of velocity, and velocity is length per time, so acceleration has dimension length/time². The SI base units are meter (length) and second (time), so the SI unit for acceleration is m/s². The gal (Gal), equal to 1 cm/s², is accepted for use with SI in gravimetry and seismology. Standard gravity g = 9.80665 m/s² is a conventional value for “1 g” used in engineering and aerospace.
Avoiding common mistakes
Don’t confuse acceleration (m/s²) with velocity (m/s) or force (N). When using g, remember it’s a specific value (9.80665 m/s²), not a variable—so “2 g” means 19.61 m/s². Mixing ft/s² and m/s² in the same equation without converting is a common error; always convert to one unit (we recommend m/s²) before plugging into formulas. This converter uses absolute factors; for relative “g’s” just divide your m/s² by 9.80665.
Acceleration Conversion FAQ
? How do I convert m/s² to g?
Divide m/s² by 9.80665. Standard gravity is defined as 9.80665 m/s², so 9.80665 m/s² = 1 g. For example, 19.6 m/s² ≈ 2 g.
? How do you convert foot per square second to m/s²?
Multiply ft/s² by 0.3048 to get m/s² (1 ft = 0.3048 m). So 32.174 ft/s² ≈ 9.81 m/s² (1 g). To convert m/s² to ft/s², divide by 0.3048.
? What is the gal (Galileo) unit?
The gal (Gal) equals 1 cm/s² = 0.01 m/s². It’s used in gravimetry, geodesy, and seismology. Standard gravity is about 980 Gal. The unit is accepted for use with SI.
? What is standard gravity (g)?
Standard gravity is defined as 9.80665 m/s² (CGPM). It’s the nominal acceleration due to gravity at Earth’s surface. Aerospace and mechanics often express acceleration in “g’s” (e.g. 3 g = 29.4 m/s²).
? How do you convert cm/s² to m/s²?
Divide cm/s² by 100 (or multiply by 0.01). So 100 cm/s² = 1 m/s². The gal (Gal) equals 1 cm/s², so 980 Gal ≈ 9.8 m/s² ≈ 1 g. To convert m/s² to cm/s², multiply by 100.
? When is the gal (Galileo) unit used?
The gal (Gal) = 1 cm/s² is used in gravimetry (measuring gravity field), geodesy, and seismology (e.g. peak ground acceleration in Gal). Standard gravity is about 980 Gal. The unit is accepted for use with the SI. This converter includes it so you can switch between Gal and m/s² or g.