How to convert from volume to mass (incorrectly called weight)?
To convert from volume to mass, we just need the definition of density formula:
mass = density × volume
Example 1
How much do 2 cubic meters of gasoline weigh in kilograms if the gasoline density is 750 kg/m³?
Plugging the values in the formula, we get
mass = density × volume = 750 × 2 = 1500 Kg
This is a simple calculation, which directly applies the density formula, works fine when the density value we have is based on the same unit of volume and mass we are using. For example, mass in kg and volume in liters. If we have, for example, mass in pounds and volume in gallons, but the density unit is in kg/m³ (for example) we should do something to adjust our density formula. That is: we must transform gallons to cubic meters as well as pounds to kilograms.
To transform the mass from pounds to kilograms we should multiply the mass in pounds by 0.45359237. We will call 0.45359237 the mass conversion factor - mcf
Mathematically we can write:
mass in kilograms = mass in pounds × mcf or
mkg = mlb × mcf (1)
To transform the volume from gallons to cubic meters we should multiply the volume in cubic meters by 0.003785411784. We will call 0.003785411784 the volume conversion factor - vcf
Mathematically we write:
volume in cubic meters = volume in gallons × vcf or
vm³ = vgal × vcf (2)
Now, dividing the equation (1) by the equation (2), we get
mkgvm³ = mlb × mcfvgal × vcf, or
mkgvm³ = mlbvgal × mcfvcf, but mkgvm³ is, by definition, the density (d) in kg/m³, so
d = mlbvgal × mcfvcf
Rearranging the equation above we get:
mlb = d × vgal × vcfmcf
Finally, we can generalize this formula for any units of mass and volume, since we know how to find the values for mcf and vcf (Check the conversion factor tables below).
m = d × v × vcfmcf (3)
That is exactly the formula that we use in our mass ⇌ volume calculator.
Now let's apply this formula to solve the next question.
Example 2
How much does 2 cubic feet of concrete weigh in tonnes if the concrete density is 2350 kg/m³?
m = d × v × vcfmcf (3)
m = 2350 × 2 × 0.0283168465921000 =
m = 2350 × 2 × 0,000028317 =
m = 0,133057 tonne
Conversion factors chart - vcf and mcf
These tables contain the most frequently used vcf and mcf.
Volume Unit | Factor to convert to m³ (vcf) |
---|---|
milliliter | 0.000001 |
UK fluid ounce | 0.0000284130625 |
US fluid ounce | 0.00002957352956 |
UK gallon | 0.00454609 |
US gallon | 0.003785411784 |
Mass Unit | Factor to convert to kg (mcf) |
---|---|
milligram | 0.000001 |
gram | 0.001 |
tonne | 1000 |
pound | 0.45359237 |
ounce | 0.02834952313 |
Densities for some substances / Materials (Examples)
Substance | Density | Temp. |
---|---|---|
acetone | 784.58 kg/m³ | 25 °C |
alcohol, ethyl | 785.06 kg/m³ | 25 °C |
alcohol, methyl | 786.51 kg/m³ | 25 °C |
benzene | 873.81 kg/m³ | 25 °C |
Substance | Density | Temp. |
---|---|---|
kerosene | 817.15 kg/m³ | 60 °F |
methane | 464.54 kg/m³ | -164 °C |
milk | 970 kg/m³ | 15 °C |
oil engine | 885 kg/m³ | 25 °C |