Erg
CGS unit of energy and mechanical work / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Erg (disambiguation). "Ergs" redirects here. For other uses, see Ergs (disambiguation). "Micro-erg" redirects here. Not to be confused with Micro ERG.
The erg is a unit of energy equal to 10−7 joules (100 nJ). It originated in the Centimetre–gram–second system of units (CGS). It has the symbol erg. The erg is not an SI unit. Its name is derived from ergon (ἔργον), a Greek word meaning 'work' or 'task'.[1]
Quick Facts Unit system, Unit of ...
erg | |
---|---|
Unit system | CGS units |
Unit of | energy |
Symbol | erg |
Derivation | 1 erg = 1 dyn⋅cm |
Conversions | |
1 erg in ... | ... is equal to ... |
CGS base units | 1 cm2⋅g⋅s−2 |
SI units | 10−7 J |
British Gravitational System | 7.375621×10−8 ft⋅lbf |
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An erg is the amount of work done by a force of one dyne exerted for a distance of one centimetre. In the CGS base units, it is equal to one gram centimetre-squared per second-squared (g⋅cm2/s2). It is thus equal to 10−7 joules or 100 nanojoules (nJ) in SI units.