Volume Converter
Convert between liters, gallons, cups, fluid ounces and more with instant results and high precision. Perfect for cooking, chemistry, fuel calculations, and liquid measurements.
Volume Conversion Calculator
Convert between metric and imperial volume units with high precision
Popular Conversions
Quick Reference
When to Use Each Unit
Volume Conversion Table
Common volume conversions for quick reference
| From | To | Multiply by | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Gallons | Liters | 3.78541 | 5 gal = 18.93 L |
| Liters | US Gallons | 0.264172 | 10 L = 2.64 gal |
| US Cups | Milliliters | 236.588 | 2 cups = 473.2 mL |
| Milliliters | US Cups | 0.004227 | 500 mL = 2.11 cups |
| US Fluid Ounces | Milliliters | 29.5735 | 8 fl oz = 236.6 mL |
| Milliliters | US Fluid Ounces | 0.033814 | 100 mL = 3.38 fl oz |
| US Tablespoons | Milliliters | 14.7868 | 4 tbsp = 59.1 mL |
| US Teaspoons | Milliliters | 4.92892 | 3 tsp = 14.8 mL |
Understanding Volume Measurements
Volume vs. Capacity
Volume measures the amount of space occupied by a substance, while capacity refers to the amount a container can hold. In practice, these terms are often used interchangeably for liquids. Volume is measured in cubic units (like liters) or specialized liquid units (like gallons).
Common Volume Conversion Formulas
US Gallons to Liters: multiply by 3.78541
Cups to Milliliters: multiply by 236.588
Fluid Ounces to Milliliters: multiply by 29.5735
Tablespoons to Milliliters: multiply by 14.7868
Practical Applications
Volume conversion is essential for cooking (recipe scaling), chemistry (solution preparation), fuel calculations (gas mileage), beverage industry (bottling), and medicine (dosage calculations). Different countries use different measurement systems, making conversion tools vital for international trade and travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between US and Imperial gallons?
A US gallon equals 3.785 liters, while an Imperial (UK) gallon equals 4.546 liters. The Imperial gallon is about 20% larger. Most countries that use gallons today use the US measurement, but the UK still uses Imperial gallons for fuel.
How many cups are in a liter?
There are approximately 4.227 US cups in one liter. This conversion is particularly useful for cooking when adapting international recipes that use metric measurements to US kitchen tools.
Why do cooking measurements vary between countries?
Different countries developed their measurement systems independently. The US uses customary units (cups, fluid ounces), while most other countries use metric (milliliters, liters). Even among countries using similar units, exact measurements can vary slightly.
How accurate should volume measurements be for cooking?
For most cooking, being within 5-10% is fine. However, baking requires more precision - especially for liquids and leavening agents. When converting between measurement systems, round to practical amounts rather than using exact decimal conversions.