F. Liquid Volume
1. VOLUME  is the amount of SPACE an object/liquid occupies
2. SI / metric unit of MEASUREMENT for liquid volume = LITER (L)
a. the basic SI unit for all VOLUME measurements = meter cubed (m3)
3. The “7 little BOXES” for LIQUID VOLUME:
kL
hL
daL
1,000,000 mL
100,000 cL
10,000 dL
1,000 L
100 daL
10 hL
L
dL
cL
mL
1,000 mL
100 cL
10 dL
10,000 mL
1,000 cL
100 dL
100,000 mL
10 L
10,000 cL
1,000 dL
100 L
10 daL
100 mL
10 cL
10 mL
1 mL
(a “drop” of liquid)
4. The instrument used to measure liquid volume is the GRADUATED CYLINDER
a. graduated CYLINDERS are measured in “mL” units
5. MENISCUE  is the CURVED surface formed by liquids
a. The UPWARD curved MENISCUE (
curve (e.g. water)
b. A DOWNWARD curved MENISCUE (
curve (e.g. mercury)
c.
Water [H2O]
adhesion – the FORCE that ATTRACTS
particles of DIFFERENT
substances to one another
) is read at the LOW point of the
) is read at the HIGH point of the
Mercury [Hg]
cohesion – the FORCE that keeps particles
of the SAME substance together
(e.g.) SURFACE tension – a COHESIVE force of the
SURFACE particles being attracted INTO the
LIQUID making the surface of the water act
like a STRETCHED elastic sheet
d.
Water [H2O]
viscosity – the RESISTANCE of a liquid
Molasses [C6H12NNaO3S]
high viscosity – SLOW flow of the liquid;
to FLOW
Heating makes liquid LESS viscous
(e.g.) water has LOW VISCOSITY
THICK; often STICKY
COOLING makes liquid MORE viscous
(e.g.) molasses has HIGH VISCOSITY
6. To measure the VOLUME of an irregular-shaped, SOLID object:
a. Use a GRADUATED CYLINDER with water filled to a graduation marking that
would cover the completely SUBMERGED solid object in the GRADUATED
CYLINDER and take a reading. (e.g. 50 mL)
b. Place the solid object in the GRADUATED CYLINDER (sliding gently along
the edge of the graduated cylinder) and take a second READING of the RAISED
liquid due to the DISPLACEMENT of the water. (e.g. 58 mL)
c. SUBTRACT the 1st volume reading [WITHOUT the object] FROM the 2nd
reading [WITH the object] (e.g. 58 mL - 50 mL)
d. The DIFFERENCE (answer to a subtraction problem) is the VOLUME of the
DISPLACED water and the irregular-shaped, SOLID object (e.g. 8 mL)
e. Using the “LINK” for converting from a liquid VOLUME measurement to a
solid VOLUME [1 mL = 1 cm3], change the answer to solid VOLUME
(e.g.) 8 mL (liquid volume) = 8 cm3 (solid volume)
7. Going from a LARGE named unit to a SMALL unit, you MULTIPLY
8. Going from a SMALL named unit to a LARGE unit, you DIVIDE
9. Each HOOP is valued at “x 10” which can be used to determine the
number needed to MULTIPLY or DIVIDE by
(e.g.) 3 hL = 300 L
(e.g.) 172 mL = 17.2 cL
hL daL L
cL
mL
G. PREFIXES Beyond “mL”
1. Prefixes SMALLER than “mL”:
 u = micro-  10-6 = 0.000001 (1 millionth)
 n = nano-  10-9 = 0.000000001 (1 billionth)
 p = pico 10-12 = 0.000000000001 (1 trillionth)
 f = femto a = atto z = zepto y = yocto-




10-15
10-18
10-21
10-24
=
=
=
=
X
uL
X
0.000000000000001 (1 quadrillionth)
0.000000000000000001 (1 quintillionth)
0.000000000000000000001 (1 sextillionth)
0.000000000000000000000001 (1 septillionth)
SMALLER Units 
L
dL cL mL
100
10-3
X
X
10-6
nL
X
X
10-9
pL
X
X
10-12
10-15
H. PREFIXES Beyond “kL”
1. Prefixes LARGER than “kL”:
 M = mega-  106 = 1,000,000 (1 million)
 G = giga-  109 = 1,000,000,000 (1 billion)
 T = tera-  1012 = 1,000,000,000,000 (1 trillion)
 P = peta E = exa Z = zetta Y = yotta-




1015
1018
1021
1024
=
=
=
=
1,000,000,000,000,000 (1 quadrillion)
1,000,000,000,000,000,000 (1 quintillion)
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (1 sextillion)
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
(1 septillion)
X
1015
X
TL
1012
X
X
GL
109
X
X
ML
106
X

LARGER Units
X
kL hL daL
103
L
100