A barn is a nuclear cross-section unit equal to 1e-28 square meters.
Barns to Sections Converter — b to section
Convert Barn (b) to Section (section) using the exact conversion factor (1 barn = 3.861022e-35 section). See the formula, worked examples, and conversion table.
Barns to Sections converter
Converter
Area Converter
Convert land, construction, mapping, survey, and scientific area units.
Context values
Some unit families need one extra value for a physically accurate result.
A US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres.
Result = input x 1e-28 / 2.58998811e+6.
Area uses the square meter as the base unit.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Barns to Sections
Comparing Barn and Section is common in agriculture and real estate, where US land is typically measured in acres and most of the rest of the world uses hectares. Specifically: A barn is a nuclear cross-section unit equal to 1e-28 square meters, and a US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres.
Formula
sections = barns × 3.861022e-35
This factor comes from each unit's defined relationship to the category's base unit: 1 barn equals 1e-28 base units, and 1 section equals 2589988.11034 base units, so dividing one by the other gives the direct barn-to-section factor of 3.861022e-35.
Simple example
1 b × 3.861022e-35 = 3.861022e-35 section
1 barn = 3.861022e-35 sections.
Real-world example
10 b × 3.861022e-35 = 3.861022e-34 section
10 barns = 3.861022e-34 sections.
Conversion table
| Barn (b) | Section (section) |
|---|---|
| 1 b | 3.861022e-35 section |
| 5 b | 1.930511e-34 section |
| 10 b | 3.861022e-34 section |
| 25 b | 9.652554e-34 section |
| 50 b | 1.930511e-33 section |
| 100 b | 3.861022e-33 section |
Reverse conversion: Section to Barn
3.861022e-35 section × 2.589988e+34 = 1.000000107 b
3.861022e-35 sections = 1.000000107 barns.
barns = sections × 2.589988e+34
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Section to Barn.
Understanding the Barn (b)
A barn is a nuclear cross-section unit equal to 1e-28 square meters.
Understanding the Section (section)
A US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres.
Reserved between the cards and the FAQ so the page stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
How many sections are in 1 barn?
1 barn equals 3.861022e-35 sections, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert barn to section?
Multiply the barn value by 3.861022e-35. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert section back to barn?
Use the reverse factor: 1 section equals 2.589988e+34 barns. You can also use the swap control in the converter above to flip the direction instantly.
What is a barn?
Barn (b) is a unit of area.
What is a section?
Section (section) is a unit of area.
Is the barn to section conversion exact?
Yes. Both barn and section are defined by fixed standards rather than physical artifacts, so the factor of 3.861022e-35 used above is exact to as many digits as you choose to display.