Unit of Measure Conversions

Fluid Capacity

Fluid Capacity Conversions

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Additional Units and Information

* Temperature of maximum density
^ 1963 UK Weights and Measures Act
Name Symbol Value Description/Notes
barrel   36 UK gallons UK beer barrel
barrel   31 US gallons US beer barrel
barrel bbl 42 US gallons US oil barrel
cubic
centimetre 		cc; cm³ 1 millilitre
  gal 1 UK (imperial) gallon Volume occupied by 10 pounds of distilled water
gill   ¼ pint
jack   ½ gill
keg   15½ US gallons ½ US beer barrel {but see Beer Measures (UK) below}
litre l 1 cubic decimetre Volume of pure water having a mass of 1 kilogram at 4°C (39.2°F)* and 1 atm pressure^
miniature   50 millilitres Also called "nip" {but see Beer Measures (UK) below} & "shooter"
shot   25 millilitres  

Apothecaries' Fluid Measures (UK)

Name Symbol Value Description/Notes
minim min Approx 1 drop 0.059194 cc
fluid drachm fldr 60 minims 3.551633 cc
fluid ounce floz 8 fluid drachms 28.413063 cc
pint pt 20 fluid ounces 568.26125 cc

Beer Measures (UK)

Name Symbol Value Description/Notes
nip   ⅓ pint  
half   ½ pint  
gallon gal 8 pints  
pin   4½ gallons 36 pints
firkin   2 pins 9 gallons; 72 pints
keg   11 gallons 88 pints
kilderkin   2 firkins 18 gallons; 144 pints
barrel   2 kilderkins 36 gallons; 288 pints
hogshead   1½ barrels 54 gallons; 432 pints
puncheon   2 barrels 72 gallons; 576 pints
butt   2 hogsheads 108 gallons; 864 pints
tun   2 butts 216 gallons; 1,728 pints

Wine Measures

Name Symbol Value Description/Notes
quarter bottle   187½ millilitres Also called "piccolo", "pony", "snipe" & "split"
chopine   250 millilitres ⅓ bottle
half bottle   375 millilitres Also called "demi"
bottle   750 millilitres  
litre   1 litre 1⅓ bottles
magnum   1½ litres 2 bottles
jeroboam   3 litres 4 bottles. Also called "double magnum"
rehoboam   4½ litres 6 bottles
methuselah   6 litres 8 bottles. Also called "imperial"
salmanazar   9 litres 12 bottles
balthazar   12 litres 16 bottles
nebuchadnezzar   15 litres 20 bottles
melchior   18 litres 24 bottles

Useful Approximations

Approximation % Accuracy
1 US fluid ounce ≈ 30 millilitres 98.6
1 US pint ≈ 1/10 UK gallon 96.1
1 US gallon ≈ 6⅔ UK pints 99.9
1 litre ≈ 1¾ UK pints 99.4
100 litres ≈ 22 UK gallons 99.9
1 cubic metre ≈ 220 UK gallons 99.9
5 UK gallons ≈ 6 US gallons 99.9
1 cubic foot of pure water weighs 62¼ pounds 99.7