Typical Young's Modulus Values
Reference values for common materials (approximate; use supplier data for design.)
| Material | GPa | ksi |
|---|---|---|
| Steel | 200 | 29,000 |
| Aluminum | 70 | 10,000 |
| Concrete | 30 | 4,350 |
Materials & mechanics
Stress & Young's Modulus Converter: Pascals, Megapascals, Gigapascals, Pounds per Square Inch & More
Convert stress and Young's modulus between Pa, MPa, GPa, psi, kpsi, and kgf/cm². Essential for structural engineers and material testing. Instant results.
By Jeff Beem
Stress & Young's Modulus conversion
Result
1 Pascal [Pa] is equal to 1 × 10⁻⁶ Megapascal [MPa]
Standard references
1 Pascal [Pa]1 × 10⁻⁶ Megapascal [MPa]10 Pascal [Pa]1 × 10⁻⁵ Megapascal [MPa]50 Pascal [Pa]5 × 10⁻⁵ Megapascal [MPa]100 Pascal [Pa]0.0001 Megapascal [MPa]
Stress & Young's Modulus Converter: Pa, MPa, GPa, psi, kpsi, kgf/cm²
Convert stress and Young's modulus between Pa, MPa, GPa, psi, kpsi, and kgf/cm². Essential for structural engineers and material testing. Same dimension as pressure (force/area). Free, runs in your browser, no sign-up required.
What are stress and Young's modulus?
Stress is force per unit area (σ = F/A); Young's modulus (E) is the ratio of stress to strain in the linear elastic range. Both have dimension force/area, so the same units apply: pascal (Pa), megapascal (MPa), gigapascal (GPa), psi, kpsi, and kgf/cm². This converter uses Pa as the base so you can switch between SI and imperial (e.g. 200 GPa = 29,000 ksi for steel).
How stress and Young's modulus conversion works
Stress and Young's modulus have dimension force/area. The SI unit is the pascal (Pa). Convert your value into Pa using the source unit's factor, then divide by the target unit's factor. For very large or small values, use MPa or GPa to avoid rounding; the math preserves full precision.
Example: 200 GPa to ksi → 200 × 10⁹ ÷ (6.89476 × 10⁶) ≈ 29,008 ksi. The converter supports Pa, MPa, GPa, psi, kpsi, and kgf/cm².
Key stress and Young's modulus units explained
Each unit's factor to Pa, what this converter uses. Stress = force/area; the same units apply to Young's modulus (E).
Pascal (Pa)
Factor: 1 (SI base unit)
The SI derived unit for stress and pressure. 1 Pa = 1 N/m². Used in physics and for small stresses; MPa and GPa are more practical for materials.
Megapascal (MPa)
Factor: 1 MPa = 10⁶ Pa
Standard in ISO and structural design. Yield strengths and moduli are often in MPa (e.g. aluminum E ≈ 70 GPa = 70,000 MPa).
Gigapascal (GPa)
Factor: 1 GPa = 10⁹ Pa
Preferred for Young's modulus: steel ≈ 200 GPa, aluminum ≈ 70 GPa, concrete ≈ 30 GPa. Avoids huge numbers when working in Pa.
Pound-force per square inch (psi)
Factor: 1 psi ≈ 6894.76 Pa
US customary unit. Common in material specs and pressure; kpsi (1000 psi) is used for stiffness and strength (e.g. 29,000 ksi for steel E).
Kilopound per square inch (kpsi / ksi)
Factor: 1 kpsi ≈ 6.895 × 10⁶ Pa
Standard in US ASTM and aerospace for Young's modulus and tensile strength. 200 GPa ≈ 29,000 ksi.
Kilogram-force per square centimeter (kgf/cm²)
Factor: 1 kgf/cm² = 98,066.5 Pa
Gravitational metric unit. Used in some regions for stress and pressure; 1 kgf/cm² ≈ 0.098 MPa.
When to use MPa vs GPa vs kpsi
MPa and GPa are standard in ISO and structural design (e.g. steel E ≈ 200 GPa). kpsi (kilopounds per square inch) is common in US material specs and ASTM (e.g. 29,000 ksi). kgf/cm² appears in some metric regions. This converter supports all six units so you can match test reports and codes.
Who uses a stress and Young's modulus converter?
Structural and civil engineers convert between GPa and ksi for beam design and material specs. Materials and testing labs see MPa, psi, and kgf/cm² on reports and need quick conversion. Students and educators use it for stress–strain and modulus calculations in SI and imperial. Mechanical and aerospace engineers work with mixed units in ASTM and ISO standards. All conversions run in your browser, no data is sent to a server.
Common stress and Young's modulus conversions at a glance
Handy reference for GPa to ksi, MPa to psi, and other everyday conversions.
| From | To | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPa | ksi | × 145.038 | 200 GPa ≈ 29,008 ksi |
| ksi | GPa | ÷ 145.038 | 29,000 ksi ≈ 200 GPa |
| MPa | psi | × 145.038 | 100 MPa ≈ 14,504 psi |
| kgf/cm² | MPa | ÷ 10.197 | 10.2 kgf/cm² ≈ 1 MPa |
Why pascal is the SI unit
Stress is force per unit area, so in SI the coherent unit is N/m², named the pascal (Pa). Young's modulus (E = σ/ε) has the same dimension. MPa and GPa are practical for materials (10⁶ Pa and 10⁹ Pa). The converter uses Pa as the base so all six units (Pa, MPa, GPa, psi, kpsi, kgf/cm²) are consistent.
Avoiding common mistakes
Don't confuse psi with kpsi (1 kpsi = 1000 psi), mixing them gives a 1000× error. When a US spec says "ksi" or "kpsi" for Young's modulus (e.g. 29,000 ksi), that's kpsi. kgf/cm² is not the same as kPa (1 kgf/cm² ≈ 98 kPa). Always convert to one unit (we recommend Pa or GPa) before using in σ = Eε or design formulas. This converter uses fixed factors for all six units.
Stress & Young's Modulus Conversion FAQ
How do I convert GPa to ksi?
Multiply GPa by about 145.038 to get ksi. So 200 GPa ≈ 29,008 ksi (steel). To convert ksi to GPa, divide by 145.038.
What is the SI unit for stress and Young's modulus?
The pascal (Pa). 1 Pa = 1 N/m². MPa (10⁶ Pa) and GPa (10⁹ Pa) are used in practice. This converter uses Pa as the base for all six units.
Is kpsi the same as ksi?
Yes. kpsi (kilopounds per square inch) and ksi (kip per square inch) both mean 1000 psi. 1 kpsi = 1 ksi ≈ 6.895 MPa.
How do I convert MPa to psi?
Multiply MPa by about 145.038 to get psi. So 100 MPa ≈ 14,504 psi. To convert psi to MPa, divide by 145.038.
What is Young's modulus of steel in GPa and ksi?
Typical Young's modulus for steel is about 200 GPa (29,000 ksi). Aluminum is about 70 GPa (10,000 ksi), concrete about 30 GPa (4,350 ksi). Use the Typical Values table above for reference.
How do I convert kgf/cm² to MPa?
Divide kgf/cm² by 10.197 to get MPa. So 10.2 kgf/cm² ≈ 1 MPa. To convert MPa to kgf/cm², multiply by 10.197.