milliwatt to centiwatt
Convert milliwatt (mW) to centiwatt (cW). Use an editable power converter, conversion formula, and reference table.
1 mW = 0.1 cW
Conversion formula
One milliwatt equals 0.1 centiwatt. Multiply your value in milliwatt by this factor to get centiwatt. For the reverse conversion, divide by the same factor.
Worked example
To convert 5 milliwatt:5 × 0.1 = 0.5 cW
Conversion table
| milliwatt (mW) | centiwatt (cW) |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.001 |
| 0.1 | 0.01 |
| 1 | 0.1 |
| 2 | 0.2 |
| 5 | 0.5 |
| 10 | 1 |
| 25 | 2.5 |
| 50 | 5 |
| 100 | 10 |
| 1000 | 100 |
About these measurements
Power is the rate of energy transfer.
The base reference used here is the watt. One milliwatt is 0.001 base units; one centiwatt is 0.01 base units.
Important distinctions
Mechanical horsepower and metric horsepower are distinct units.
Precision
The converter uses stored conversion factors and floating-point arithmetic. Results display up to ten significant digits, switching to scientific notation for very small or large values. Keep the precision of your original measurement when reporting results.
Common questions
How do I convert mW to cW?
Multiply the quantity in mW by 0.1. You can also type the value into the converter above.
Can I reverse the conversion?
Yes. Use the swap button or open the centiwatt to milliwatt converter.
Reference
NIST Guide to the SI — conversion factors and prefix conventions. SI prefixes scale units by powers of ten; the dimension-specific notes above describe the assumptions used on this page.
