Electric Field Strength Converter
ScienceConvert electric field strength between volts per metre, kilovolts per metre, volts per centimetre, and volts per millimetre instantly.
From
To
All conversionsfor 1 Kilovolts per Metre (kV/m)
| Megavolts per Metre (MV/m) | 0.001 |
| Kilovolts per Metre (kV/m) | 1 |
| Volts per Metre (V/m) | 1000 |
| Volts per Centimetre (V/cm) | 10 |
| Volts per Millimetre (V/mm) | 1 |
| Kilovolts per Centimetre (kV/cm) | 0.01 |
What is a Electric Field Strength?
The Electric Field Strength Converter converts electric field strength between volts per metre (SI), megavolts and kilovolts per metre, and the finer-scale volts and kilovolts per centimetre and millimetre. Electric field strength measures the force per unit charge at a point in space — a fundamental quantity in capacitor design, high-voltage engineering, and dielectric material specifications.
Enter a value in any supported unit and the converter calculates the equivalent instantly. For the related voltage quantity, see the Electric Potential Converter.
How to use this Electric Field Strength calculator
- Choose your starting unit from the source dropdown — for example, "Kilovolts per Metre (kV/m)".
- Enter the numeric value you want to convert in the input field.
- Choose your target unit from the destination dropdown — for example, "Volts per Metre (V/m)".
- Read the converted result, which updates instantly as you type or change units.
- Use the swap (⇅) button if you need to reverse the conversion direction.
- Use the copy button to grab the result for a high-voltage design or dielectric strength comparison.
Formula & Methodology
The converter's base unit is volts per metre (V/m). Every supported unit has a fixed multiplier: - 1 megavolt per metre (MV/m) = 1,000,000 V/m - 1 kilovolt per metre (kV/m) = 1,000 V/m - 1 volt per centimetre (V/cm) = 100 V/m - 1 volt per millimetre (V/mm) = 1,000 V/m - 1 kilovolt per centimetre (kV/cm) = 100,000 V/m Any conversion follows: Result = Input × (toBase of source unit ÷ toBase of target unit) Worked example — converting air's dielectric breakdown strength of 3 MV/m to kV/cm: Result = 3,000,000 × (1 ÷ 100,000) = 30 kV/cm This matches the commonly cited approximate breakdown field strength for air under standard atmospheric conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Electric field strength (also called electric field intensity) measures the force per unit charge at a point in space, expressed in volts per metre — it describes how strong the electric field is at a given location, whether from a charged object, a capacitor, or a high-voltage power line.
Multiply the kV/m value by 1,000, since one kilovolt equals 1,000 volts. Enter your value with 'Kilovolts per Metre (kV/m)' as the source and 'Volts per Metre (V/m)' as the target to apply this automatically.
For a uniform electric field (like between parallel capacitor plates), electric field strength equals the voltage divided by the distance between the two points (E = V/d) — so a higher voltage or a smaller gap both increase the field strength. See the [Electric Potential Converter](/electric-potential-converter/) for the voltage side of this relationship.
Dielectric strength is the maximum electric field strength a material can withstand before it breaks down and starts conducting electricity (electrical breakdown) — measured in the same V/m or kV/mm units as electric field strength, dielectric strength defines insulation material limits for capacitors, cables, and high-voltage equipment.
Electric field strength near high-voltage transmission lines is typically regulated and kept well within safety guidelines, often in the range of a few kV/m near the ground beneath transmission lines, far below levels considered hazardous based on established exposure standards.
Capacitor design requires keeping the electric field strength between plates below the dielectric material's breakdown strength, which directly limits how much voltage a capacitor of a given plate separation and dielectric material can safely handle.
Air begins to ionise and become conductive (leading to arcing or breakdown) at electric field strengths of roughly 3 MV/m under standard atmospheric conditions, which is why high-voltage equipment requires adequate spacing or better insulating materials to prevent arcing.
In a vacuum, electric field strength and electric flux density (also called electric displacement) are proportional through the permittivity of free space, though electric flux density accounts for the effects of a surrounding dielectric material in more complex scenarios.
Various national and international bodies publish exposure guidelines for electric field strength near power infrastructure, typically expressed in kV/m, to limit human exposure to levels considered safe based on scientific research — always consult the relevant regulatory guidance for a specific jurisdiction and application.
Use the appropriate source and target units from V/m, V/cm, V/mm, kV/m, or kV/cm — the converter handles all these scale combinations directly, useful when comparing dielectric strength specifications given in different length-scale conventions.
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