Volume Unit Conversion Calculator

All matter takes up space, but between the states of matter and diverse shapes of containers, volume can be difficult to compare. This calculator can easily convert between many units derived from 3D shapes or from fluid containers.

Select up to two output units and click 'Calculate' to view equivalent volumes:

The amount of space taken up by matter is the definition of volume. However, volume units are most commonly used for materials which can flow and adopt the shape of a closed space, making it a common measure for gasses and liquids.

Geometric Volumes from 3D Shapes

For solid objects, the volume is almost always a mathematical determination by geometric formulas, resulting in cubic, 3-dimensional units such as cubic feet ($$ft^3$$) and cubic meters ($$m^3$$).

Fluid Container Volume

For free-flowing liquids and gasses, gallons and liters are the common choices, although these materials can certainly still fill a geometric volume.

In volumetric units, surprisingly vast differences exist between small spaces measured in millimeters and inches versus larger spaces measured in meters or feet.

Consider a small sugar cube, assuming about 1 inch on each edge. If you placed 12 of them in a line, that would be one foot. But you would need 12 of those lines, all side-by-side, to equal one square foot. That makes 144 sugar cubes. But a cubic foot would require 12 of those stacks of 144, a total of 1728 sugar cubes. This example shows that 1 cubic foot is equal to 1728 cubic inches, a massive difference indeed.

Yard or Cubic Yard?

The volume unit of ‘yard’ is an unusual one, being labeled similarly to the yard length of 3 feet. However, this is a common trade abbreviation of a ‘cubic yard’ and is often heard in dirt, rock, and concrete measurement lingo. One yard of concrete would fill a 3 ft by 3 ft area to a depth of 3 ft, or more realistically, an area of 9 ft x 9 ft to a depth of 4 inches—a reasonable thickness for a concrete slab.

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