Calculate weight per square meter in kg/m² or GSM from total weight and area, find total weight or area, or estimate sheet weight from thickness.
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Weight Per Square Meter Formula
For an ideal uniform sheet, areal mass equals density × thickness. For a fabric or other sample, areal mass equals sample mass ÷ sample area. GSM means grams per square meter; kg/m² = GSM ÷ 1,000. “Weight” here is mass, not force.
Variables:
- W is the weight per square meter (kg/m²)
- ρ (rho) is the density of the material (kg/m³)
- t is the thickness of the material (meters)
Choose the Sheet task to multiply density by thickness. Use the sample task for mass divided by rectangular or directly entered area, or choose total mass or inverse area explicitly.
What is Weight Per Square Meter?
Weight per square meter is a measure of the weight of a material spread over a unit area. It is commonly used in the fields of materials science, engineering, and construction to specify the weight of materials for various applications. Areal mass helps estimate material quantities and self-weight. It does not establish load-bearing capacity or a structural rating.
How to Calculate Weight Per Square Meter?
The following steps describe the Sheet task. For samples, choose mass divided by area instead.
- First, determine the density of the material (ρ) in kilograms per cubic meter.
- Next, determine the thickness of the material (t) in meters.
- Next, gather the formula from above: W = ρ * t.
- Finally, calculate the Weight Per Square Meter (W) in kilograms per square meter.
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
Density of the material (ρ) = 7800 kg/m³ (illustrative steel assumption; choose Custom density)
Thickness of the material (t) = 0.01 meters (1 cm). Areal mass = 7800 × 0.01 = 78 kg/m² = 78,000 g/m².
