What is the difference between volume and capacity?

Volume measures the 3D space an object occupies, expressed in cubic units (cm³, m³). Capacity refers to the amount of substance (usually liquid) a container can hold, expressed in liters or gallons. They're related: 1 liter = 1,000 cm³.

How do you convert cubic centimeters to liters?

Divide cubic centimeters by 1,000 to get liters. For example, 5,000 cm³ = 5 liters. For gallons, divide cm³ by 3,785.41 (US gallon) or 4,546.09 (imperial gallon).

How do you calculate the volume of an irregular shape?

For irregular shapes, you can use water displacement: submerge the object in water and measure the volume of water displaced. For mathematical problems, you can break the shape into simpler shapes, calculate each volume, and add them together.

What is surface area and how does it relate to volume?

Surface area is the total area of all faces/surfaces of a 3D object. While volume measures the space inside, surface area measures the outside. A sphere has the minimum surface area for a given volume, making it the most efficient shape for containers.

Volume Calculator

This volume calculator helps you find the volume of any common 3D shape. Select your shape, enter the dimensions, and get instant results with detailed step-by-step calculations, formulas, surface area as a bonus, and liquid capacity conversions (liters, gallons). Supports 10 different 3D shapes with metric and imperial unit conversions.

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calendar_today Updated: April 2026

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The Formula

Volume measures the amount of three-dimensional space enclosed by a shape. Each 3D shape has its own formula based on its defining dimensions. Results can be converted to liquid capacity (liters, gallons).

Cube: V = s³ | Sphere: V = (4/3)πr³ | Cylinder: V = πr²h | Cone: V = (1/3)πr²h | Prism: V = l×w×h

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Volume is measured in cubic units (cm³, m³, ft³) — not square or linear units

1 liter = 1,000 cm³ = 0.001 m³

1 US gallon ≈ 3.785 liters ≈ 231 in³

Sphere has the smallest surface area for a given volume

Doubling all dimensions multiplies the volume by 8 (cubic scaling)

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Volume Calculator

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The Formula

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