The Physics
Hypertextbook
Opus in profectus

Gaussian System of Units

search icon

Discussion

centimeter-gram-second

Base units of the Gaussian system
quantity unit symbol
length centimeter cm
mass gram g
time second s
Derived units of the Gaussian system with special names
  in terms of…
quantity name symbol other units base units
accel­eration gal Gal dyn/g cm s−2
force dyne dyn   cm g s−2
pressure, stress barye Ba dyn/cm2 cm−1g s−2
energy, work, heat erg erg dyn cm cm2g s−2
dynamic viscosity poise P Ba s cm−1g s−1
kinematic viscosity stokes St   cm2s−1
luminance stilb sb    
illuminance phot ph    
wave number kayser     cm−1

Electrostatic units

The statcoulomb is that charge which, if placed in two point objects placed one centimeter apart in vacuum, would produce between these objects a force equal one dyne.

Electrostatic units of the Gaussian system *a.k.a. electrostatic unit (esu) or franklin (Fr)
quantity name symbol in terms of…
other units base units
electric charge stat­coulomb*   (cm3g s−2)½
electric field   stat­volt/cm  
electric potential stat­volt erg/stat­coulomb  
electric current stat­ampere stat­coulomb/s  
resist­ance stat­ohm stat­amp/stat­volt cm−1s
conduct­ance stat­mho 1/stat­ohm cm s−1
capacit­ance stat­farad     cm
magnetic field stat­tesla      
magnetic flux stat­weber      
induct­ance stat­henry      

Electromagnetic units

Electromagnetic units of the Gaussian system *a.k.a. biot (Bi)
quantity name symbol in terms of…
other units base units
magnetic field (B) gauss G    
magnetic field (H) oersted Oe    
magnetic flux maxwell Mw    
magneto­motive force gilbert Gb    
induct­ance ab­henry      
electric charge ab­coulomb      
electric current ab­ampere*      
electric potential ab­volt      
resist­ance ab­ohm      
conduct­ance ab­mho      
capacit­ance ab­farad      

people

Derived units of the Gaussian system named after scientists *a.k.a. abampere, a.k.a. electrostatic unit (esu) or statcoulomb, a.k.a. Oersted
unit scientist quantity
biot* Bi Jean-Baptiste Biot electric current
franklin Fr Benjamin Franklin electric charge
gal Gal Galileo Galilei acceleration
gauss G Carl Friedrich Gauss magnetic field (B)
gilbert Gb William Gilbert magneto­motive force
kayser K Heinrich Kayser wavenumber
maxwell Mw James Clerk Maxwell magnetic flux
oersted Oe Hans Christian Ørsted magnetic field (H)
poise P Jean Poiseuille dynamic viscosity
stokes St George Stokes kinematic viscosity