Magnetic field converter
Convert between tesla and gauss, and see where your field sits between the Earth’s own magnetism and an MRI scanner.
That's 20× as strong as the Earth’s field, while a fridge magnet is 5× stronger. That is about 20× the Earth’s own magnetic field.
What it means
How strong is that?
Field strengths are typical values. The Earth’s field varies from 25 to 65 microtesla depending on where you stand.
Every unit
Your field in every unit
Learn
Three things worth knowing
-
1 tesla is 10,000 gauss
Move the decimal point four places. A 3 T MRI scanner is 30,000 gauss; the Earth’s half-gauss field is 50 µT.
-
Tesla and Gauss
Gauss came first, from the centimeter-gram-second system. The tesla arrived in 1960 with SI, and both units are still in daily use in different trades.
-
Field is not pull
A strong field does not always mean a strong grip: pull depends on the field, the area and the material. Magnet sellers quote whichever number flatters them.
Shortcuts
Popular field strength conversions
Background
About magnetic field units
The SI unit is the tesla, which is enormous: the Earth manages 50 microtesla. That is why laboratories often still use the gauss, a ten-thousandth of a tesla.