MKS

Units & Measurements abbreviation · Metric and SI Unit

MKS
Stands forMeter-kilogram-second system
CategoriesUnits & Measurements

MKS stands for Meter-kilogram-second system, a metric and SI unit abbreviation.

The metric system based on the meter, kilogram and second that preceded and evolved into SI. Adding the ampere produced the MKSA or Giorgi system, whose units, including the newton, joule and watt, carried directly into SI.

Example: Convert every force to MKS units before plugging the values into the formula.

Usage notes

Italian engineer Giovanni Giorgi showed in 1901 that adding one electrical unit to the meter, kilogram and second would give a coherent system for electromagnetism. Physics textbooks used "MKS" or "mks units" through the 20th century to contrast with CGS, and the term survives informally as a synonym for SI in engineering classrooms.

More metric and SI unit abbreviations

  • kt – Kiloton (TNT equivalent)
  • L – Liter
  • ly – Light-year
  • m – Meter
  • mcg – Microgram
  • mg – Milligram
  • mL – Milliliter
  • mm – Millimeter
  • mmol – Millimole
  • mol – Mole
  • mSv – Millisievert
  • Mt – Megaton (TNT equivalent)

See all 64 metric and SI unit abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.