Convert Outhouse to Barn
Convert outhouses to barns instantly. 1 outhouse = 1e-6 barn — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Barn to Outhouse converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Outhouse
An outhouse is a humorous physics unit of area equal to exactly 10⁻³⁴ m² (10⁻⁶ barn), identical in value to the microbarn.
Coined by physicists as a humorous extension of the 'barn' nomenclature: if the barn is a large physics target, then by analogy something millionfold smaller is an 'outhouse'.
Outhouses are virtually never used in serious physics literature but exist as a defined humor unit. Microbarn is the preferred professional term.
Physics community humor; rarely used in practice.
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.
Outhouse to Barn conversion formula
The relationship between outhouses and barns:
To convert outhouses to barns, multiply the value in outhouses 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 Outhouse converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert outhouses to barns
- Write down the value in outhouses (outh).
- 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 outh to b:
1 × 1e-6 = 1e-6 b
Example 2 — Convert 100 outh to b:
100 × 1e-6 = 1e-4 b
Real-world example — Molecular dimensions
The diameter of small molecular structures (around 2 outhouses) is often converted into related sub-micron units when comparing measurements across different microscopy techniques or imaging modalities.
2 outh × 1e-6 = 2e-6 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 outhouses can be re-expressed in barns for direct comparison with another instrument's calibration data sheet.
800 outh × 1e-6 = 0.0008 b
Outhouse to Barn conversion table
Standard reference values for converting outhouses to barns:
| Outhouse [outh] | 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 outhouse?
How do I convert outhouses to barns?
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How many barns is 100 outhouses?
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Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 outh = 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 Astronomical Union — System of Astronomical Constants
The IAU defines astronomical units including the AU (149597870700 m exactly) light-year and parsec used in astronomy and astrophysics.