Convert between metric capacity units

Metric capacity conversion expresses the same amount using related units such as kiloliters, liters, and milliliters, with $1$ kiloliter $=1{,}000$ liters and $1$ liter $=1{,}000$ milliliters. The learner reasons that changing to a smaller unit increases the numerical value and changing to a larger unit decreases it, using powers of ten and decimal notation while preserving the quantity; less common prefixes and formal dimensional analysis are outside this scope.

Detailed Explanation: Convert between metric capacity units

To convert between metric capacity units, remember:

$1$ kiloliter ( $\text{kL}$ ) $(=1{,}000)$ liters ( $\text{L}$ )
$1$ liter ( $\text{L}$ ) $(=1{,}000)$ milliliters ( $\text{mL}$ )

When you change to a smaller unit, multiply by $(1{,}000)$ .
When you change to a larger unit, divide by $(1{,}000)$ .

Example

Convert $(4.6)$ liters to milliliters.

Step 1: Compare the units.

Milliliters are smaller than liters, so the number will get larger.

Step 2: Multiply by $(1{,}000)$ .

4.6\text{ L}\times 1{,}000=4{,}600\text{ mL}

Answer:

\boxed{4.6\text{ L}=4{,}600\text{ mL}}

The amount has not changed—only the unit has changed. There are more milliliters because each liter contains $(1{,}000)$ milliliters.

Learn by doing: Convert between metric capacity units

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