How to use the resistance converter
- Enter the value in Value, for example 4.7.
- In From, choose the unit: gigaohms, megaohms, kiloohms, ohms, milliohms, microohms, abohms or statohms.
- In To, choose the unit you want.
- Read the result. The table underneath gives the value in all eight units, and the swap button reverses the conversion.
What it does and when to use it
Resistance values in electronics range over more than 15 powers of ten. Wires, shunts and battery cells are measured in milliohms or microohms. Ordinary resistors run from ohms to megohms. Insulation testers report gigaohms. Each source picks a different prefix, and a slipped decimal point is easy when you move between a parts list, a schematic and a meter display.
Typical jobs: matching a kΩ value on a schematic to a part listed in ohms, checking that a 0.22 MΩ resistor is the same as 220 kΩ, or reading a battery’s internal resistance in mΩ. For capacitors and coils, the capacitance converter and inductance converter work the same way. For the resistance of a length of copper wire, the wire gauge converter shows ohms per kilometre for each AWG size.
How it works
The ohm is the base unit. Conversion is value × from-factor ÷ to-factor, with these factors in ohms:
| Unit | Ohms |
|---|---|
| gigaohm | 1,000,000,000 |
| megaohm | 1,000,000 |
| kiloohm | 1,000 |
| milliohm | 0.001 |
| microohm | 0.000001 |
| abohm | 0.000000001 |
| statohm | c² × 10⁻⁵ ≈ 898,755,178,737 |
c is the speed of light, 299,792,458 m/s exactly, so the statohm factor is exact too.
Worked examples
Pull-up resistor. 4.7 kΩ = 4,700 ohms.
Same part, two labels. 0.22 MΩ = 220 kiloohms. A parts list may use either form for one resistor.
Current-sense shunt. A 0.05 Ω shunt is 50 milliohms, or 50,000 microohms in the table.
Limits and tips
- The tool does not read colour bands or SMD codes. Decode the marking first, then convert.
- Tolerance and temperature drift are not part of a unit change; a 4.7 kΩ ±5 % resistor can measure anywhere from 4,465 to 4,935 Ω.
- Very large or small results switch to scientific notation, such as 5e-11 GΩ for 0.05 Ω.
Frequently asked questions
What does 4K7 mean on a resistor or schematic?
Why are there two "m" units in the list?
How many ohms are in a megohm?
What is a statohm?
Can I work out resistance from voltage and current here?
Sources
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8: Factors for units listed alphabetically — NIST, accessed 2026-10-08
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