UnitConvertor Logo

Result:

1
Liter
=
1000
Milliliter

Volume Conversion: Liters, Gallons, Cubic Meters & More

Whether you're following a recipe from abroad, filling a swimming pool, or calculating the capacity of a storage tank, understanding and converting volume units is a fundamental task. Our intuitive Volume Converter simplifies these essential calculations, providing reliable and instant results for every scenario.

Why Convert Volume? Navigating Different Capacities

Volume conversion is translating a measurement of three-dimensional space from one unit to another. It's essential for cooking, home and garden projects, science, and industry. Whether you're converting milliliters to cups for a recipe or cubic meters for a construction project, precision is crucial. Our tool makes these calculations seamless.

Understanding Volume Units: Metric vs. Imperial Explained

The world of volume is dominated by units from the Metric (SI) and Imperial/US Customary systems. Metric units like the liter (L) are based on powers of ten. Imperial units like the gallon (gal) and fluid ounce (fl oz) evolved from older traditions. Our tool handles both with ease.

SystemUnit NameSymbolApproximate Real-World Scale
Metric (SI)MillilitermLA small spoon of liquid
Metric (SI)LiterLA standard soda bottle
Metric (SI)Cubic MeterA large refrigerator
Imperial/USFluid Ouncefl ozA shot glass
Imperial/USCupcA standard kitchen cup
Imperial/USGallongalA large milk jug
Imperial/USCubic Footft³A basketball

How Volume Conversion Works: Simple Principles

While our converter does the heavy lifting, knowing the basic principles can help you understand the relationships between different volume units:

To convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit, you multiply by the conversion factor (e.g., gallons to quarts, multiply by 4). To convert from a smaller unit to a larger unit, you divide by the conversion factor (e.g., milliliters to liters, divide by 1,000).

Let's look at some quick examples:

Convert 3 liters to milliliters:
Since 1 liter = 1,000 milliliters, we multiply: 3 × 1,000 = 3,000 milliliters.

Convert 8 quarts to gallons:
Since 1 gallon = 4 quarts, we divide: 8 ÷ 4 = 2 gallons.

Convert 500 milliliters to fluid ounces:
Since 1 fluid ounce ≈ 29.574 milliliters, we divide: 500 ÷ 29.574 ≈ 16.9 fluid ounces.

Your Most Asked-For Volume Conversions

Here are the most common volume conversion pairs, along with their conversion factors. Our tool makes these, and many more, effortless.

From UnitTo UnitConversion Factor
Liter (L)Gallon (US)0.264172
Gallon (US)Liter (L)3.78541
Milliliter (mL)Fluid Ounce (US)0.033814
Fluid Ounce (US)Milliliter (mL)29.5735
Cubic Meter (m³)Cubic Foot (ft³)35.3147
Cubic Foot (ft³)Cubic Meter (m³)0.0283168

FAQs about Volume Conversion

How many milliliters are in a cup?

In the US customary system, there are approximately 236.59 milliliters in one cup. This is a very common conversion for cooking and baking.

What is the difference between a US gallon and an imperial gallon?

A US gallon is smaller than an imperial (UK) gallon. One US gallon is about 3.785 liters, while one imperial gallon is about 4.546 liters. Our converter uses the US standard.

Is a liter a measure of mass or volume?

A liter is a unit of volume. While 1 liter of water has a mass of approximately 1 kilogram, the liter itself measures space, not mass.

Explore Our Full Suite of Unit Conversion Tools

Volume is just one piece of the puzzle! UnitConvertor.co is your comprehensive hub for all kinds of measurements.