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A thorough explanation of how to measure capacity with helpful conversion charts and practice questions
Author
Tess Loucka
Published
February 2024
A thorough explanation of how to measure capacity with helpful conversion charts and practice questions
Author
Tess Loucka
Published
February 2024
A thorough explanation of how to measure capacity with helpful conversion charts and practice questions
Author
Tess Loucka
Published
February 2024
Key takeaways
Table of contents
When a recipe calls for an ounce of milk or 1 teaspoon of baking soda, these measurements all refer to a very particular amount of something.
Every container, whether it be a teacup, a bathtub, or a barrel, can only hold a particular amount of liquid before it fills up, and this idea is referred to in science as capacity.
A glass can only be filled up so high with orange juice before it spills over. Similarly, a cereal bowl can only hold so much milk until it reaches the brim and drips down the sides.
When you take a bath and fill the tub with water, go to water your plants and fill up your watering can, or fill up a water gun when you’re at the beach, you’re really thinking about capacity!
Capacity is a measurement that can be used to better understand countless areas of your daily life and the world around you, but what is capacity and how do we measure it?
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Here’s a simple definition of capacity: capacity refers to the amount of something that an object can hold before spilling over. Another capacity definition is the maximum amount of something—whether that be a solid, liquid, or gas—that fits into a given container.
There are two systems of measurement commonly used for measuring capacity—the metric system and the customary system. The metric system is far more common.
The metric system uses the units of litres (l), millilitres (ml), and other related units. One litre is equivalent to 1,000 millilitres. We can write that out as:
1 l = 1000 ml
Knowing that fact then allows us to gather a few more measurements:
½ l = 500 ml
¼ l = 250 ml
⅕ l = 200 ml
and so on…
Besides litres and millilitres, there are a few other units of measurement used in the metric system. They are as follows:
A unit of capacity listed lower a litre is larger. A unit of capacity above is smaller. To convert 1 litre to hectolitres, simply divide 1 by 100 to get 0.01 hectolitres. To convert 1 litre to millilitres, just multiply 1 by 1,000 to get 1,000 millilitres.
One way to remember the units of the metric system is to remember that “King Henry Died Unusually Drinking Chocolate Milk.” In this case, the U stands for unit of capacity, or litre!
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Measuring capacity often requires you to have a tool called a graduated cylinder. These are cylindrical containers with marks on the side that measure its capacity.
If you have a container with an unknown capacity, you can fill the container with water, then pour that water into a graduated cylinder. The line on the cylinder at which the surface of the liquid is touching is the container’s capacity.
Measuring capacity can also be done by simple math and unit conversion. Let’s say you have a container with an unknown capacity. You can take a known amount of water, such as a cup, and fill the container up until it is full, taking note of exactly how many cups of water you poured in.
Estimating a container’s capacity can also come in handy and can be done easily with a firm understanding of the units of capacity measurement.
To put things into perspective:
So, if you take a look at a bowl of cereal and want to estimate its capacity, what unit will you use? Kilolitres, litres, or millilitres? Your answer should be litres.
Understanding how units of capacity measurement work gives you a deeper understanding of the world around you. For more practice with capacity, look for a maths app or website with resources such as conversion charts and practice problems that will support you as you learn.
Click on the boxes below to see the answers!
Answer: 16 ounces
Answer: 4,800,000
Answer: 12 ounces
Capacity is the amount of liquid that fits inside a container
Metric units of capacity are all related to the litre. The units are kilolitres, hectolitres, decalitres, litres, decilitres, centilitres, and millilitres.
The standard unit of capacity in science is the litre.
Parents, sign up for a DoodleMaths subscription and see your child become a maths wizard!
Lesson credits
Tess Loucka
Tess Loucka discovered her passion for writing in school and hasn't stopped writing since! Combined with her love of numbers, she became a maths and English tutor. Since graduating, her goal has been to use her writing to spread knowledge and the joy of learning to readers of all ages.
Tess Loucka
Tess Loucka discovered her passion for writing in school and hasn't stopped writing since! Combined with her love of numbers, she became a maths and English tutor. Since graduating, her goal has been to use her writing to spread knowledge and the joy of learning to readers of all ages.
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