Illuminance Unit Converter

Value:

From Unit:

To Unit:

1. What is the Illuminance Unit Converter?

Definition: This converter transforms illuminance values between various units. Illuminance measures the luminous flux incident on a surface per unit area, typically in lux (lx).

Purpose: Useful in lighting design, photography, and architecture for converting units in applications like indoor lighting, outdoor illumination, and visual comfort assessments.

2. How Does the Converter Work?

The converter uses conversion factors relative to an arbitrary base (consistent with provided scaling):

Input value is converted to the base by dividing by the "From" unit's factor.
The result is converted to the "To" unit by multiplying by the "To" unit's factor.

Supported units:

lux [lx] (Factor: 10000000000000000)
meter-candle [m*c] (Factor: 10000000000000000)
centimeter-candle [cm*c] (Factor: 1000000000000)
foot-candle [ft*c, fc] (Factor: 929030400000840)
flame (Factor: 232257600000210)
phot [ph] (Factor: 1000000000000)
nox (Factor: 10000000000000000000)
candela steradian/sq. meter (Factor: 10000000000000000)
lumen/square meter [lm/m^2] (Factor: 10000000000000000)
lumen/square centimeter (Factor: 1000000000000)
lumen/square foot [lm/ft^2] (Factor: 929030400000840)
watt/sq. cm (at 555 nm) (Factor: 1464128843.3382)

Steps:

Enter the value to convert.
Select the "From" unit (the unit of the input value).
Select the "To" unit (the desired output unit).
Submit to perform the conversion.
Results are formatted to 5 decimal places, with scientific notation for values less than 0.001.

3. Importance of Illuminance Conversion

Illuminance conversion is critical for:

Lighting Engineering: Ensuring appropriate light levels in spaces.
Photography: Measuring light for exposure settings.
Health and Safety: Assessing visual comfort and preventing eye strain.

4. Using the Converter

Example 1: Convert 1 meter-candle to lux:

Input: 1
From Unit: meter-candle [m*c] (factor: 1.0E+16)
To Unit: lux [lx] (factor: 1.0E+16)
Calculation: \( 1 / 1.0E+16 \times 1.0E+16 = 1 \)

Result: 1 lux

Example 2: Convert 1 foot-candle to lux:

Input: 1
From Unit: foot-candle [ft*c, fc] (factor: 9.2903040000084E+14)
To Unit: lux [lx] (factor: 1.0E+16)
Calculation: \( 1 / 9.2903040000084E+14 \times 1.0E+16 = 10.76391 \)

Result: 10.76391 lux

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is illuminance?
A: Illuminance is the measure of the amount of luminous flux per unit area on a surface, measured in units like lux (lx).

Q: Why are there different units for illuminance?
A: Different systems (SI, imperial) and historical reasons lead to various units used in specific fields.

Q: How are foot-candle and lux related?
A: One foot-candle is approximately 10.764 lux.

Q: Can this converter be used for all illuminance scenarios?
A: Yes, it converts units of illuminance, applicable to any scenario involving illuminance measurements.