What is a volume unit converter?

A volume unit converter is a tool that transforms measurements between different units of volume, such as liters, milliliters, gallons, cubic meters, and cups. It's essential for cooking, chemistry, shipping, and any application involving liquid or gas measurements.

What is the standard SI unit of volume?

The SI unit of volume is the cubic meter (m³). However, the liter (L), equal to one cubic decimeter, is widely used for everyday purposes like measuring liquids. One cubic meter equals 1,000 liters.

Where are volume conversions commonly used?

Volume conversions are essential in cooking and baking, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, fuel and oil industries, shipping and logistics, aquariums and pools, and beverage production. Different countries use different measurement systems, making conversion tools indispensable.

Why are there differences between US and UK gallon measurements?

The US gallon (3.785 liters) and UK gallon (4.546 liters) differ due to historical measurement standards. The US gallon is based on the wine gallon, while the UK gallon was based on the weight of water. This ~20% difference is crucial when converting fuel economy or recipe measurements.

How do I convert liters to gallons?

To convert liters to US gallons, divide by 3.785 (or multiply by 0.264). For UK gallons, divide by 4.546 (or multiply by 0.22). For example, 10 liters equals about 2.64 US gallons or 2.2 UK gallons.

What is the difference between fluid ounces in the US and UK?

A US fluid ounce equals 29.57 mL, while a UK fluid ounce equals 28.41 mL. The US fluid ounce is slightly larger. This matters for international recipes and pharmaceutical dosing.

How many milliliters are in a cup?

A US cup equals 236.588 mL, while a metric cup equals 250 mL. UK recipes may use imperial cups (284 mL). Always check which cup measurement a recipe uses for accurate results.

What is the relationship between liters and cubic meters?

One liter equals one cubic decimeter (dm³), and there are 1,000 liters in one cubic meter. This relationship makes conversion straightforward: divide liters by 1,000 to get cubic meters, or multiply cubic meters by 1,000 to get liters.

How do I measure volume for irregularly shaped objects?

For irregular objects, use water displacement: submerge the object in water and measure the volume of water displaced. This method, discovered by Archimedes, works for any solid object that doesn't absorb water.

What is a hectoliter and where is it used?

A hectoliter (hL) equals 100 liters and is commonly used in the brewing and wine industries to measure large quantities. Beer production is often measured in hectoliters, with breweries producing millions of hectoliters annually.

Volume Unit Converter | Rapid Unit Converter

Convert between different volume units like liters, gallons, pint...etc

Volume measures the three-dimensional space occupied by a substance or enclosed within a container. From measuring ingredients in the kitchen to calculating fuel tank capacity, volume conversions are essential in daily life. Our converter handles both metric units (liters, milliliters, cubic meters) and imperial units (gallons, pints, fluid ounces), ensuring accurate conversions for any application.

History & Background

The liter was introduced during the French Revolution as part of the metric system, originally defined as the volume of one kilogram of water. Today, it's defined as exactly one cubic decimeter. Imperial volume units like the gallon have roots in medieval trade, with different commodities (wine, ale, grain) having different gallon sizes until standardization in the 19th century.

How to Convert

Liters to US Gallons

gallons = liters × 0.264172

Multiply the volume in liters by 0.264172 to get US gallons.

Example: 10 liters × 0.264172 = 2.64 US gallons

Milliliters to Fluid Ounces

fl oz = milliliters × 0.033814

Multiply milliliters by 0.033814 to get US fluid ounces.

Example: 500 mL × 0.033814 = 16.9 fl oz

Cubic Meters to Liters

liters = cubic meters × 1000

Multiply cubic meters by 1,000 to get liters.

Example: 2.5 m³ × 1000 = 2,500 liters

Cups to Milliliters

milliliters = cups × 236.588

Multiply US cups by 236.588 to get milliliters.

Example: 2 cups × 236.588 = 473.18 mL

Real-World Examples

Bathtub Capacity

A standard bathtub holds approximately 150-200 liters of water when filled.

175 L=46.2 gal

Soda Can

A standard soda can contains 355 milliliters (12 fl oz) of beverage.

355 mL=12 fl oz

Olympic Swimming Pool

An Olympic swimming pool contains 2,500 cubic meters of water.

2,500 m³=660,430 gal

Car Fuel Tank

A typical car fuel tank holds about 50 liters of gasoline.

50 L=13.2 gal

Coffee Mug

A standard coffee mug holds approximately 250-350 milliliters.

300 mL=1.27 cups

Wine Bottle

A standard wine bottle contains 750 milliliters of wine.

750 mL=25.4 fl oz

Did You Know?

•A US gallon is about 20% smaller than a UK gallon, which is why fuel economy figures differ significantly between the two countries.
•The word 'gallon' comes from the Old French 'galon', and historically there were many different gallon sizes for different commodities.
•One liter of water weighs exactly one kilogram at 4°C, by definition—this relationship was fundamental to the metric system's design.
•The human body contains about 5 liters of blood, while an elephant's heart pumps about 50 liters per minute.
•A cubic meter of air at sea level weighs about 1.2 kilograms, while a cubic meter of water weighs 1,000 kilograms.

Volume conversion table

1 l = 0.001 kl	1 liters equals 0.001 kiloliters	1 * 0.001 = X kl
1 l = 0.01 hl	1 liters equals 0.01 hectoliters	1 * 0.01 = X hl
1 l = 0.1 dal	1 liters equals 0.1 decaliters	1 * 0.1 = X dal
1 l = 10 dl	1 liters equals 10 deciliters	1 * 10 = X dl
1 l = 100 cl	1 liters equals 100 centiliters	1 * 100 = X cl
1 l = 1000 ml	1 liters equals 1000 milliliters	1 * 1000 = X ml
1 l = 0.21996924829908776 gal	1 liters equals 0.21996924829908776 gallons	1 * 0.21996924829908776 = X gal
1 l = 1.759753986392702 pt	1 liters equals 1.759753986392702 pints	1 * 1.759753986392702 = X pt
1 l = 0.001 m³	1 liters equals 0.001 cubic meters	1 * 0.001 = X m³
1 l = 1000 cm³	1 liters equals 1000 cubic centimeters	1 * 1000 = X cm³
1 l = 1000000 mm³	1 liters equals 1000000 cubic millimeters	1 * 1000000 = X mm³
1 l = 35.19503327690396 fl oz	1 liters equals 35.19503327690396 fluid ounces	1 * 35.19503327690396 = X fl oz
1 l = 0.8798789286594165 qt	1 liters equals 0.8798789286594165 quarts	1 * 0.8798789286594165 = X qt
1 l = 4.2267570629110525 cup	1 liters equals 4.2267570629110525 cups	1 * 4.2267570629110525 = X cup
1 l = 0.035314724827664144 ft³	1 liters equals 0.035314724827664144 cubic feet	1 * 0.035314724827664144 = X ft³

F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

Volume Unit Converter