Due to the need to measure the capacity of objects, some capacity measures throughout history. Measuring the capacity or volume of objects is a common and necessary practice. At main measures of capacity they are:
• liter
• cubic meter
The liter is generally used to measure the capacity of liquids such as milk, water, juices, cleaning products. The cubic meter is used to measure itself volume, such as boxes, rooms, suitcases, among other objects. both have multiples and submultiples, such as the milliliter or the cubic centimeter. We need to know how to convert a capacity measurement unit to its multiples and sub-multiples, and also convert cubic meters to liters. There are other less common capacity measures, such as fluid ounce, the gallon and the barrel.
See too: What are the units of measure for time?
Capacity measure
The main measures of capacity used in everyday life are the cubic meter and the liter. We use the liter usually to measure the volume of liquids and gases.
This unit of measurement is quite common in everyday life, as milk, soda, water, among other liquids, are always measured in liters.The liter (l) has submultiples, that are:
- deciliter (dl)
- centiliter (cl)
- milliliter (ml)
It also has multiples, that are:
- dekaliter (dal)
- hectoliter (hl)
- kiloliter (kl)
unit conversion
To convert from one unit to another, just build the table in the following order:
Whenever converting from a larger unit to a smaller unit, that is, from left to right, it is necessary multiply by 10 each unit of measure traveled. Now, when it's the other way around, from one smaller unit to the next larger one, it's necessary share by 10.
Example:
Turn 25 kl into l.
Since there are three units of measure from kl to l, then we will multiply by 10³, that is, by 1000.
25 · 1000 = 25 000 l
volume measurement
The cubic meter is quite common in civil construction, furniture planning and even in the manufacture of smaller objects such as boxes.
Your submultiples they are:
- cubic decimeter (dm³)
- cubic centimeter (cm³)
- cubic millimeter (mm³)
Your multiples they are:
- cubic decameter (dam³)
- cubic hectometer (hm³)
- cubic kilometer (km³)
We can relate volume measures with capacity measures, to make the conversion, it is necessary to know that:
- 1 m³ → 1000 l
- 1 cm³ → 1 ml
- 1 dm³ → 1 l
Read too: Cylinder volume – how to calculate?
Other Capacity Units
There are other not-so-usual measures of capacity. Measures that were common, but were eventually replaced by the liter, such as:
- imperial barrels
- gallon
- fluid or liquid ounce.
One US gallon is 3.8 liters if we perform the conversion. However, the gallon measurement is not unique, for example, the unit known as imperial gallon, from the UK, measures 4.5 liters. Therefore, the importance of the liter measure is highlighted, which is only one, regardless of the country.
The barrel is used to transport oil, among other liquids, and just like the gallon, it has different values depending on the country. One American barrel has a capacity of 158.99 liters, already the British or Imperial has a capacity of 159.11 liters. The difference between the British and the American barrel is initially small, but on a large scale it becomes very large.
THE liquid ounce (oz) it is still a common unit (although in Brazil it is not used) in imported products, such as blender cups or meters, in which the acronym is often seen (page oz). Generally used for smaller capacities, one fluid ounce corresponds to 28.4 ml.
solved exercises
Question 1 - A tank that has a capacity of 12,000 liters was half that capacity filled with water. After that 150 dal were added to it. How many kiloliters of water are in the tank?
A) 12.15
B) 0.75
C) 75
D) 7.5
Resolution
Alternative D
We know that, initially, half of the tank is filled, which corresponds to 6000 liters, in addition, 150 dal were added, which, to convert into liters, are multiplied by 10.
150. 10 = 1500 liters
Thus, in the tank there is a total of 6000 + 1500 = 7500 liters.
To convert from liters to kl, let's divide the previous total by 1000.
7500: 1000 = 7.5 kl
Question 2 - Karita is spending a season in the United States. When preparing her detox juice, she noticed that the size of the blender she had in her hands was different, as it used the unit known as fluid ounce (fl. oz), and your recipe used liters. Knowing that one fluid ounce is approximately equal to 28 ml, what should be the amount of liquid that Karita should put in fluid ounce, if 700 ml of water are needed in the recipe?
A) 24 fl. oz
B) 25 fl. oz
C) 26 fl. oz
D) 27 fl. oz
Resolution
Alternative B
Knowing that 28 ml corresponds to 1 oz, then to find the amount of oz that corresponds to 700 ml, we just perform the division:
700: 28 = 25 oz
