Liter

Liter

The liter (also spelled litre; symbol: L or l) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimeter (dm^3), 1,000 cubic centimeters (cm^3) or 1/1,000 cubic meter. The mass of one liter liquid water is almost exactly one kilogram.

History

The liter was introduced in France in 1795 as one of the new "Republican Measures", and it was defined as one cubic decimeter. This original definition was reverted in 1901 to the current one.

Usage

The liter is used worldwide, especially in countries that have adopted the metric system. It is used to measure both liquids and non-liquids, such as engine displacement in cars.

Symbol

The symbol for the liter is "L". In some contexts, especially in science, the alternative symbol "l" (lowercase L) is used, but this can be confusing with the number "1".

Conversion

One liter is equivalent to 0.264172 gallons in the US customary system, and 0.219969 gallons in the British imperial system.

See also

• Cubic meter
• Cubic centimeter
• Decimeter
• Gallon
• Metric system
• United States customary units
• Imperial units