Convert Microbarn to Barn
Convert microbarns to barns instantly. 1 microbarn = 1e-6 barn — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Barn to Microbarn converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Microbarn
A microbarn is a scientific unit of area equal to exactly 10⁻³⁴ m² (10⁻⁶ barn).
Derived from the barn using the standard SI micro- prefix. Identical in value to the humor unit 'outhouse'.
Microbarns appear in particle physics for moderately rare process cross-sections. They are widely used in heavy-ion physics and electroweak cross-section measurements.
Standard derivative of the barn unit.
Barn
A barn is a scientific unit of area equal to exactly 10⁻²⁸ m² (100 fm²). It is used in nuclear and particle physics to express interaction cross-sections.
Named in 1942 at Purdue University by physicists working on the Manhattan Project. The name comes from the phrase 'big as a barn' — uranium nuclei have cross-sections this large, which physicists initially considered surprisingly large for nuclear targets.
Barns and their submultiples (millibarn, microbarn, nanobarn, picobarn, femtobarn) are the standard units for cross-section measurements in nuclear physics, high-energy physics, and accelerator experiments. The Higgs boson production cross-section at the LHC is in the picobarn range.
Named in 1942 during the Manhattan Project; adopted internationally in particle physics.
Microbarn to Barn conversion formula
The relationship between microbarns and barns:
To convert microbarns to barns, multiply the value in microbarns by 1e-6. To reverse, multiply barns by 1000000.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in barns updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Barn to Microbarn converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert microbarns to barns
- Write down the value in microbarns (µb).
- Multiply that value by the factor 1e-6.
- The product is the equivalent value in barns (b).
- To reverse, multiply the barn value by 1000000.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 µb to b:
1 × 1e-6 = 1e-6 b
Example 2 — Convert 100 µb to b:
100 × 1e-6 = 1e-4 b
Real-world example — Wavelengths across the spectrum
Optical and atomic-scale phenomena are routinely cross-converted between sub-micron units. A photon of wavelength 800 microbarns can be re-expressed in barns for direct comparison with another instrument's calibration data sheet.
800 µb × 1e-6 = 0.0008 b
Real-world example — Molecular dimensions
The diameter of small molecular structures (around 2 microbarns) is often converted into related sub-micron units when comparing measurements across different microscopy techniques or imaging modalities.
2 µb × 1e-6 = 2e-6 b
Microbarn to Barn conversion table
Standard reference values for converting microbarns to barns:
| Microbarn [µb] | Barn [b] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 1e-8 |
| 0.1 | 1e-7 |
| 1 | 1e-6 |
| 2 | 2e-6 |
| 3 | 3e-6 |
| 4 | 4e-6 |
| 5 | 5e-6 |
| 10 | 1e-5 |
| 20 | 2e-5 |
| 30 | 3e-5 |
| 40 | 4e-5 |
| 50 | 5e-5 |
| 100 | 1e-4 |
| 500 | 0.0005 |
| 1000 | 0.001 |
Frequently asked questions
How many barns is 1 microbarn?
How do I convert microbarns to barns?
How do I convert barns back to microbarns?
How many barns is 100 microbarns?
Popular area unit conversions
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Metric / SI (5 units)
Imperial / US Customary (3 units)
Scientific / Physics (4 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 µb = 1e-6 b) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Hydrographic Organization — Resolution on the Nautical Mile
International authority that standardised the nautical mile at exactly 1852 m in 1929 — the value adopted worldwide for sea and air navigation.