Litres to cubic centimetres:
multiply by 1,000

How many cubic centimetres are in a litre?

One litre is exactly 1,000 cubic centimetres. The litre is defined as one cubic decimetre, a cube measuring 10 cm along each edge, and 10 × 10 × 10 gives 1,000 cm³. The relationship is exact, so you never need to round it.

A cubic centimetre is the same volume as one millilitre. That is why you will see cm³, cc and ml used for the same quantity, and why 1 litre is also 1,000 ml.

The litres to cm³ formula

A second worked example: a small aquarium holds 25 L. Multiplying by 1,000 gives 25,000 cm³, which is useful if you want to compare it with a tank whose interior is measured in centimetres. A tank 50 cm long, 25 cm wide and 20 cm deep has 25,000 cm³, so it is exactly 25 litres.

1. 1Write the volume in litres.
2. 2Multiply by 1000, which moves the decimal point three places right.
3. 3Label the answer in cm³, cc or ml, whichever the context needs.
4. 4Check the number grew, because the centimetre-cube is a much smaller unit.

Chart: litres to cubic centimetres

The values below are exact.

The final row shows that 1000 litres, which is one cubic metre, equals one million cubic centimetres. That also confirms that a cubic metre is 100 × 100 × 100 cm.

Where litres and cubic centimetres meet

Engines are the best-known example. Motorbike and car engines are described by displacement in cc, so a 125 cc scooter has 0.125 litres of swept volume and a 2.0 litre car engine is 2,000 cc. Knowing the factor lets you compare the two without guessing.

Laboratories and kitchens also use the shortcut. A 0.355 L drink can holds 355 cm³, and a 5 ml syringe holds 5 cm³. Medical syringes are often marked in cc for this reason, and the labels match millilitres exactly.

Engineers use cm³ when they calculate volume from dimensions in centimetres. Multiply length, width and height in cm to get cm³, then divide by 1,000 to get the litres a container will hold.

The same idea checks a result. A container 10 cm by 10 cm by 10 cm is exactly one litre, and a cube twice as wide on each side is 20 × 20 × 20 = 8,000 cm³, or 8 litres. Doubling a length multiplies the volume by eight, so a small change in size can mean a big change in capacity.

Common mistakes when converting litres to cm³

• Using 100 instead of 1,000. Volume depends on three dimensions, so the factor is 10 × 10 × 10, not 10 × 10.
• Dividing instead of multiplying. A cubic centimetre is a small unit, so the number must grow.
• Confusing cm³ with m³. A litre is 0.001 m³ but 1,000 cm³, a million-fold difference.
• Forgetting that cc and ml mean the same thing as cm³ in everyday use.