Understanding microteslas to milligauss Conversion
The microtesla (µT) is one-millionth of the SI tesla, the standard unit of magnetic flux density. The milligauss (mG) is one-thousandth of a gauss, the CGS unit, and is the scale most often used when discussing low-level power-frequency EMF near appliances and power lines. Converting µT to milligauss is routine in EMF-exposure work, where guidance figures are frequently quoted in milligauss.
Conversion Formula
To convert microteslas to milligauss, multiply by this factor:
Step-by-Step Example
Convert 25 microteslas to milligauss.
How to Convert microteslas to milligauss
Turn an SI microtesla reading into milligauss, the common EMF-exposure unit, using one factor.
- Note the field in microteslas: For example, 25 µT.
- Apply the factor: Multiply by 10, since 1 µT = 10 mG.
- Compute: 25 × 10 gives the field in milligauss.
- State the result: 25 µT equals 250 mG.
microteslas to milligauss conversion table
| microteslas (uT) | milligauss (mG) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 10 |
| 2 | 20 |
| 3 | 30 |
| 4 | 40 |
| 5 | 50 |
| 6 | 60 |
| 7 | 70 |
| 8 | 80 |
| 9 | 90 |
| 10 | 100 |
| 15 | 150 |
| 20 | 200 |
| 25 | 250 |
| 30 | 300 |
| 40 | 400 |
| 50 | 500 |
| 60 | 600 |
| 70 | 700 |
| 80 | 800 |
| 90 | 900 |
| 100 | 1000 |
| 150 | 1500 |
| 200 | 2000 |
| 250 | 2500 |
| 300 | 3000 |
| 400 | 4000 |
| 500 | 5000 |
| 600 | 6000 |
| 700 | 7000 |
| 800 | 8000 |
| 900 | 9000 |
| 1000 | 10000 |
| 2000 | 20000 |
| 3000 | 30000 |
| 4000 | 40000 |
| 5000 | 50000 |
| 10000 | 100000 |
| 25000 | 250000 |
| 50000 | 500000 |
| 100000 | 1000000 |
| 250000 | 2500000 |
| 500000 | 5000000 |
| 1000000 | 10000000 |
What is the Microtesla?
The microtesla is a decimal submultiple of the tesla, the SI unit of magnetic flux density. It is the natural scale for weak magnetic fields, most notably the Earth's geomagnetic field and stray fields from household wiring and appliances.
Definition
One microtesla is one millionth of a tesla.
In SI base units, . Since one gauss equals tesla, one microtesla equals exactly gauss (that is, 10 milligauss), a conversion frequently used in geomagnetism and EMF surveys.
Origin and History
The microtesla combines the tesla, named for Nikola Tesla and adopted into the SI in 1960, with the SI prefix "micro" (one millionth). It rose to prominence as scientists standardized geomagnetic and environmental field measurements on SI units, replacing the older gauss and gamma ().
Law and Notable Facts
The microtesla is a fully coherent SI submultiple. It is the customary unit for reporting the Earth's magnetic field and for public-exposure discussions: international guidelines (ICNIRP) set reference levels for power-frequency magnetic fields on the order of 100–200 microtesla for the general public.
Real-World Examples and Conversions
- Earth's magnetic field ranges from about 25 microtesla near the equator to 65 microtesla near the poles.
- Magnetic fields directly beneath high-voltage power lines can reach several microtesla.
- 1 microtesla = 10 milligauss = 0.01 gauss.
- 1 microtesla = 0.001 mT = 0.000001 T.
What is the milligauss?
The milligauss is a small unit of magnetic flux density (magnetic field strength) equal to one-thousandth of a gauss. It is widely used in geomagnetism, environmental EMF measurements, and consumer magnetometer readings.
Definition
One milligauss is 10⁻³ gauss, and since the gauss is defined as 10⁻⁴ tesla, the milligauss equals 10⁻⁷ tesla in SI units:
The gauss is the CGS-Gaussian unit of magnetic flux density, defined as one maxwell per square centimetre. The SI coherent unit is the tesla (1 T = 1 Wb/m²), so 1 G = 100 µT and 1 mG = 100 nT = 0.1 µT.
Origin and History
The gauss is named after the German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855), a pioneer of geomagnetic measurement who, with Wilhelm Weber, established absolute magnetic units. The milligauss arose naturally as a convenient submultiple for the weak fields encountered in everyday and geophysical work.
Law and Notable Facts
The gauss and milligauss are not SI units; the SI officially uses the tesla. Nonetheless the milligauss remains standard in the EMF-measurement and geomagnetism communities. The Earth's magnetic field is a familiar reference: it ranges from roughly 250 to 650 mG over the surface.
Real-World Examples and Conversions
- Earth's surface magnetic field: about 250–650 mG (25–65 µT).
- A typical household appliance at 30 cm distance: a few mG to tens of mG.
- 1000 mG = 1 gauss = 100 µT = 0.0001 T.
- A refrigerator magnet at its surface: roughly 100–500 G, i.e. 100,000–500,000 mG.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many milligauss are in a microtesla?
One microtesla equals 10 milligauss, because 1 µT is 0.01 gauss and each gauss contains 1,000 milligauss.
How do I convert microteslas to milligauss?
Multiply the microtesla value by 10. For example, 0.4 µT near a household wire equals 4 mG.
How do I convert milligauss back to microteslas?
Multiply the milligauss value by 0.1 (divide by 10). So 100 mG equals 10 µT.
Why is the milligauss scale popular for EMF measurements?
Residential power-frequency magnetic fields are very small, so milligauss gives convenient whole-number readings; epidemiological discussions of ELF-EMF exposure often reference thresholds around 2–4 mG.
Is 250 milligauss a high reading?
It is relatively strong for an everyday setting — background home fields are typically under a few milligauss — but still far below industrial or medical magnet levels.
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Complete microteslas conversion table
| Unit | Result |
|---|---|
| teslas (T) | 0.000001 T |
| milliteslas (mT) | 0.001 mT |
| gauss (G) | 0.01 G |
| milligauss (mG) | 10 mG |