History & Background
The liter was defined in 1795 as the volume of one cubic decimeter (1 dm³). The US gallon descends from the English "Queen Anne wine gallon" of 1707; the imperial gallon, introduced in 1824, was redefined as 10 lb of water at 62 °F.
Conversion Formulas
1 L = 1,000 ml = 0.264172 US gal1 US gallon = 3.78541 L1 imperial gallon = 4.54609 L1 m³ = 1,000 L1 US cup = 236.588 ml
Common Values
- 1 L = 33.814 fl oz (US)
- 1 US gal = 3.785 L = 4 quarts
- 500 ml ≈ 16.9 fl oz
- 1 cup = 236.6 ml
- 1 m³ = 264.17 US gal
Common Uses
- Cooking and baking recipes
- Fuel economy comparisons (mpg vs L/100 km)
- Aquariums and pool capacity
- Manufacturing and chemical batching
- Beverage industry and shipping
Frequently Asked Questions
How many liters in a US gallon?
3.78541 L exactly.
Are US and UK gallons the same?
No. 1 US gal = 3.785 L; 1 imperial (UK) gal = 4.546 L — about 20% bigger.
How many ml in a fl oz?
29.5735 ml (US) or 28.4131 ml (imperial).
How big is 1 cubic meter?
1,000 liters — about the volume of a small kitchen fridge.