Units of Volume

🏆Practice volume units

Every three-dimensional body has volume. For example, a ball or pyramid are bodies with volume. The volume of a body is our way of measuring the space that said body occupies in space.

For example, let's observe a cube whose length of each of its sides is 1cm 1\operatorname{cm} , like this one:

a cube whose length of each of its sides is 1 cm

To calculate the volume of the cube we will use the known formula: Length× width× height Length\times ~width\times~height

In this case, the three dimensions are equal and, therefore, we will note:

V=1cm×1cm×1cm=1cm3 V=1\operatorname{cm}\times1\operatorname{cm}\times1\operatorname{cm}=1\operatorname{cm}^3

V is the letter used to abbreviate the word volume in exercises and is used to designate volumes.

That is, we found that the volume of the cube is 1 cm3= 1~cm³= cubic centimeter (cm raised to the third power)

Known volume measurement units:

1 m3=1000 dm3=1,000,000 cm3 1~m³=1000~dm³=1,000,000~cm³

1 dm3=1000 cm3 1~dm³=1000~cm³

Additionally, there are measurements that we primarily use for measuring liquids:

1 L=1 dm3=1,000 cm3 1~L=1~dm³=1,000~cm³

1 liter=1000 milliliters 1~liter=1000~milliliters

1 milliliter=1 cm3 1~milliliter = 1~cm³

1000 liters=1 m3 1000~liters=1~m³


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The function of volume units is to quantify or measure the volume of objects. Since it is a three-dimensional unit, these units are always expressed in cubic powers.  

For example, cubic centimeter cm3 \operatorname{cm}^3 and cubic meter (m3) \left(m^3\right) . When referring to liquids, volume is usually measured in liters or gallons.

Let's analyze a simple exercise: 

A2 - volume units

We have a box with the following measurements:

Length 4 cmLength~4~cm

Width 5 cmWidth~5~cm

Height 6 cm Height~6~cm

4 cm× 5cm× 6 cm=120 4~\operatorname{cm}\times~5\operatorname{cm}\times~6\operatorname~{cm}=120

Length 4 cm× width 5 cm× height 6 cm Length~4 ~cm\times ~width ~5 ~cm\times ~height ~6 ~cm

if we need to calculate its volume. 

In this case, the calculation is quite simple. We will calculate the volume of the box by multiplying the three measurements together. The result is 120 cm3 120~cm^3 . It is crucial to highlight that, because we multiply cm by cm by cm three times, the result is given in cm3 \operatorname{cm}^3 , that is, cubic cm (cm raised to the third power). 

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Volume Measurements

Example 1

How many liters of water can the illustrated box hold?:

How many liters of water can the illustrated box hold

Let's remember that the formula to calculate the volume of a box is:

Length×width× height Length\times width\times ~height .

Let's calculate the volume of the box:

V=1 m×1m×3 m=3 m3 V=1~m\times1m\times3~m=3~m^3

1 m3=1000 dm3=1,000,000 cm3 1~m³=1000~dm³=1,000,000~cm³

We found that the volume of the box is 3 m3 3~m³ (cubic meters).

Now we must convert the result to liters to answer the question.

Let's remember that 1 m3=1000 1~m³=1000 liters.

Therefore:

3 m3=3000 3~m³=3000 liters.

That is, the amount of water that we can pour into the box is 3000 3000 liters.


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Example 2

How many liters are 10,000 cm3 10,000~cm³ ?

Let's remember that:

1,000 cm3=1liter 1,000~cm³=1 liter

Therefore:

10,000cm3=10×1000cm3=10×1 Liter=10 Liters 10,000\operatorname{cm}³=10\times1000\operatorname{cm}³=10\times1~Liter=10~Liters

That is, we found that 10,000 cm3 10,000~cm³ are equivalent to 10 10 liters.


Examples and exercises with solutions of volume units

Exercise #1

Convert 6112cm3 61\frac{1}{2}cm^3 into cubic decimeter.

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's solve the problem through a series of steps for ease of understanding:

  • Step 1: Identify the volume in cubic centimeters.
    The given volume is 6112cm3 61\frac{1}{2} \, \text{cm}^3 .
  • Step 2: Convert the mixed number to an improper fraction.
    The mixed number 6112 61\frac{1}{2} can be rewritten as 61+12 61 + \frac{1}{2} which equals 1222+12=1232 \frac{122}{2} + \frac{1}{2} = \frac{123}{2} . This is equivalent to 61.5 cubic centimeters.
  • Step 3: Convert cubic centimeters to cubic decimeters.
    Using the fact that 1dm3=1000cm3 1 \, \text{dm}^3 = 1000 \, \text{cm}^3 , we divide the given volume by 1000 to convert from cubic centimeters to cubic decimeters.
    1232÷1000=1232000=61.51000 \frac{123}{2} \div 1000 = \frac{123}{2000} = \frac{61.5}{1000}

Therefore, the volume in cubic decimeters is 61.51000dm3 \frac{61.5}{1000} \, \text{dm}^3 .

Upon examining the available choices, choice 1: 61.51000dm3 \frac{61.5}{1000 \, \text{dm}^3} is the correct answer.

The solution to the problem is 61.51000dm3 \frac{61.5}{1000 \, \text{dm}^3} .

Answer

61.51000dm3 \frac{61.5}{1000dm^3}

Exercise #2

What is 100 m³ written as cm³?

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

To convert 100 m³ to cm³, follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Understand the relationship between meters and centimeters. We know that 1 meter equals 100 centimeters.
  • Step 2: Determine the volume in cubic centimeters for 1 cubic meter. Since 1 m = 100 cm, we have 1 m3=(100cm)31 \text{ m}^3 = (100 \, \text{cm})^3.
  • Step 3: Calculate (100cm)3(100 \, \text{cm})^3. This results in 100×100×100=1,000,000100 \times 100 \times 100 = 1,000,000 cm³.
  • Step 4: Since we need to convert 100 m³, multiply the result for 1 m³ by 100. Thus, 100 m3=100×1,000,000cm3=100,000,000cm3100 \text{ m}^3 = 100 \times 1,000,000 \, \text{cm}^3 = 100,000,000 \, \text{cm}^3.

Therefore, 100 m³ is equivalent to 100,000,000cm3100,000,000 \, \text{cm}^3.

From the given choices, the correct choice is choice 3, which is 100,000,000cm3100,000,000 \, \text{cm}^3.

Answer

100,000,000cm3 100,000,000cm^3

Exercise #3

What is 18 liters written in milliliters?

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

To convert 18 liters to milliliters, we will follow these steps:

  • Identify the conversion factor from liters to milliliters.
  • Multiply the given number of liters by this conversion factor.

Step 1: The conversion factor is 1 liter=1000 milliliters 1 \text{ liter} = 1000 \text{ milliliters} .

Step 2: Multiply 18 liters by 1000 to convert it to milliliters:

18×1000=18000 18 \times 1000 = 18000 milliliters.

Thus, 18 liters is equal to 18,000 18,000 milliliters.

Therefore, the correct answer is choice 3:18,000 ml\text{choice 3}: 18,000 \text{ ml} . The answer, when compared to the choices, confirms that choice 3 is indeed the correct one.

Answer

18,000ml 18,000ml

Exercise #4

Convert 6.8dm3 6.8dm^3 into milliliters.

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

To convert 6.8dm36.8dm^3 into milliliters, we'll follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Identify the given volume in cubic decimeters, which is 6.8dm36.8dm^3.
  • Step 2: Use the conversion factor that 1dm3=1000ml1dm^3 = 1000ml.
  • Step 3: Multiply the given volume by the conversion factor to convert cubic decimeters to milliliters.

Now, let's perform the conversion:
Given: 6.8dm36.8dm^3

Using the conversion factor, we calculate:
6.8dm3×1000ml/dm3=6800ml6.8dm^3 \times 1000ml/dm^3 = 6800ml

Therefore, the volume of 6.8dm36.8dm^3 is equivalent to 6800ml6800ml.

Answer

6800ml 6800ml

Exercise #5

143535 milliliters are? liters

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the problem of converting 143535 milliliters to liters, follow these steps:

  • The given quantity is 143535 milliliters (ml).
  • Use the conversion factor: 1 liter=1000 milliliters 1 \text{ liter} = 1000 \text{ milliliters} .
  • Convert milliliters to liters by dividing the milliliters by 1000.

Let's perform the calculation:
143535 ml÷1000=143.535 liters 143535 \text{ ml} \div 1000 = 143.535 \text{ liters}

This calculation shows that 143535 milliliters equals 143.535 liters.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is 143.535l 143.535l .

Answer

143.535l 143.535l

Review Questions

What are the units of volume?

As we have seen, everything that needs to be measured has its specific unit of measure. In the case of volume units, being a three-dimensional measure, that is, an object that has length, width, and height, its volume can be calculated. Therefore, we can measure it either in liters or milliliters, but if the objects have units of length, then the most common units in volume can be: cm3 \operatorname{cm}^3 ,m3 \operatorname{m}^3 ,dam3 \operatorname{dam}^3 ,hm3 \operatorname{hm}^3 ,dm3 \operatorname{dm}^3 ,mm3 \operatorname{mm}^3 , although it can also be measured in gallons and other volume units.


How are volume units written?

Being a unit of measure and as we said it is a three-dimensional unit, the measures are expressed to the third power, that is, as we have three dimensions length, width, and height, then suppose that its units are in cm \operatorname{cm} , then to calculate the volume it will be:

cm×cm×cm=cm3 \operatorname{cm}\times cm\times cm=cm^3

If its lengths are m \operatorname{m} , then the volume will be written in m3 \operatorname{m}^3


What is the dimension of volume?

Being a dimension that is derived from length and by multiplying length, width, and height we will obtain a dimension to the cube. Or by making a conversion of volume units, that is, cubic, we can obtain an equivalence to liters, milliliters, or gallons.


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