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Kpa to Mbar Converter

↔ Convert mbar to kPa instead

Common Conversions

kPa mbar
0.1 1
1 10
5 50
10 100
20 200
50 500
75 750
100 1000
101.325 1013.25
150 1500
200 2000

Why this conversion matters in chemistry

European-made rotary evaporator manuals spec set-points in mbar; the building's process-control system reports the same line in kPa. A 50 kPa reservoir on a rotovap shows 500 mbar on the controller — well above the 72 mbar boiling-point pressure for ethanol at 25 °C, which is exactly where you want it. The factor of 10 mbar per kPa falls out of 1 bar = 100 kPa. So when an SI process datasheet has to match a vacuum gauge calibrated in millibar, this is the trivial decimal shift that closes the gap.

Formula

mbar = kPa × 10

Worked Examples

101.325 kPa = 1013.25 mbar

Standard atmospheric pressure expressed in both unit systems.

100 kPa = 1000 mbar

Exactly 1 bar — the IUPAC reference pressure for tabulated thermodynamic data.

0.1 kPa = 1 mbar

The factor anchor — useful when scanning a low-pressure value off a vacuum gauge.

50 kPa = 500 mbar

About half an atmosphere — the kind of reduced pressure a rotovap holds for ethanol.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert kPa to mbar?
Multiply by 10. So 101.325 kPa becomes 1013.25 mbar — standard atmospheric pressure expressed in both unit systems. The relationship is exact through 1 bar = 100 kPa = 1000 mbar.
When does pressure show up in mbar?
Vacuum equipment and rotary evaporators from European manufacturers spec set-points in mbar. Rough-vacuum pumps reach 1–10 mbar; rotovap targets for ethanol sit around 50–100 mbar. Meteorology uses mbar (or the equivalent hPa) for atmospheric pressure profiles.
Is mbar the same as hPa?
Yes. 1 mbar = 1 hPa exactly, and both equal 100 Pa. Meteorologists tend to write hPa; vacuum technicians prefer mbar. The numerical value is identical.