The gauss (symbol: ** G**, sometimes** G**s) is a unit of measurement of magnetic induction, also known as magnetic flux density. The unit is part of the Gaussian system of units, which inherited it from the older centimetre–gram–second electromagnetic units (CGS-EMU) system. It was named after the German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss in 1936. One gauss is defined as one maxwell per square centimetre. As the centimetre–gram–second system of units (cgs system) has been superseded by the International System of Units (SI), the use of the gauss has been deprecated by the standards bodies, but is still regularly used in various subfields of science. The SI unit for magnetic flux density is the tesla (symbol T), which corresponds to 10,000 gauss.

Name, symbol, and metric prefixes

Albeit not a component of the International System of Units, the usage of the gauss generally follows the rules for SI units. Since the name is derived from a person's name, its symbol is the uppercase letter "G". When the unit is spelled out, it is written in lowercase ("gauss"), unless it begins a sentence. The gauss may be combined with metric prefixes, such as in milligauss, mG (or mGs), or kilogauss, kG (or kGs).

Unit conversions

The gauss is the unit of magnetic flux density B in the system of Gaussian units and is equal to Mx/cm2 or g/Bi/s2, while the oersted is the unit of [[Magnetic_field#The_H-field| H -field]]. One tesla (T) corresponds to 104 gauss, and one ampere (A) per metre corresponds to 4π × 10−3 oersted. The units for magnetic flux Φ, which is the integral of [[Magnetic_field#The_B-field|magnetic B -field]] over an area, are the weber (Wb) in the SI and the maxwell (Mx) in the CGS-Gaussian system. The conversion factor is maxwell per weber, since flux is the integral of field over an area, area having the units of the square of distance, thus G/T (magnetic field conversion factor) times the square of cm/m (linear distance conversion factor). 108 Mx/Wb = 104 G/T × (102 cm/m)2.

Typical values