Liter (L) Conversions
The liter is a metric unit used to measure volume and capacity. You will often see it on drinks, fuel containers, household products, and laboratory equipment.
1 L = 1,000 mL = 1,000 cm³ = 0.001 m³
What Is a Liter?
One liter is the same volume as one cubic decimeter—a cube measuring 10 centimeters along each side.
1 L = 1 dm³
The liter is not an SI base unit, but it is accepted for use with the International System of Units. Its symbol is an uppercase L. A lowercase l is also recognized, but the uppercase form is usually easier to distinguish from the number 1.
A Short History of the Liter
The liter developed as part of the metric system introduced in France near the end of the eighteenth century. The new system was designed around related decimal units, making calculations simpler than older systems that used different conversion ratios.
The liter was connected to the meter through volume: one liter is one-thousandth of a cubic meter. This relationship remains the basis of modern liter conversions.
How to Convert Liters
To convert liters to another volume unit, multiply by the number of cubic meters in one liter and then divide by the cubic-meter value of the target unit.
Target value = liters × 0.001 ÷ target unit factor
Example: Convert 5 Liters to Milliliters
Since one liter contains 1,000 milliliters:
5 L × 1,000 = 5,000 mL
Example: Convert 5 Liters to US Gallons
5 L × 0.2641720524 ≈ 1.32086 US gal
Common Liter Conversions
- 1 L = 1,000 mL
- 1 L = 1 dm³
- 1 L = 1,000 cm³
- 1 L = 0.001 m³
- 1 L ≈ 0.264172 US gal
- 1 L ≈ 4.22675 US cups
- 1 L ≈ 33.814 US fl oz
Where Liters Are Used
Liters are commonly used for bottled drinks, cooking ingredients, fuel, paint, household cleaners, aquariums, and vehicle engine capacity. Milliliters are more convenient for small quantities, while cubic meters are generally used for much larger volumes.
Liter Conversion Links
Convert liters to another supported volume unit: