What is cubic centimetre?

A cubic centimetre is a metric unit of volume equal to one thousandth of a litre, or 1 millilitre. It is used in medicine, engine displacement specifications, and precise scientific measurements.

Real-world uses

Cubic centimetres are used for engine displacement (e.g., a 250 cc motorcycle engine), medical syringe volumes (often marked "cc"), and laboratory measurements. Small container volumes and 3D printing material estimates are expressed in cm³.

History

The cubic centimetre was the standard volume unit in the CGS system. The abbreviation "cc" became entrenched in automotive and medical fields. The JCAHO (now The Joint Commission) recommended against "cc" in medical prescriptions to reduce errors, though it persists.

Common mistakes

Using "cc" interchangeably with mL is technically acceptable (they are equal), but some medical institutions discourage "cc" because it can be misread as "00" in handwritten prescriptions.

What is US fluid ounce?

A US fluid ounce is a volume unit equal to approximately 29.57 millilitres. It is used in the United States for beverage servings, cooking measurements, and product labelling.

Real-world uses

US fluid ounces are used for beverage labelling (a standard can of soda is 12 fl oz), cooking measurements, and cosmetics packaging in the United States. Cocktail recipes and bartending rely heavily on fluid ounce measurements (a standard shot is 1.5 fl oz).

History

The US fluid ounce derives from the English wine gallon tradition. When the US and UK diverged in measurement standards in the 19th century, their fluid ounces ended up slightly different. The US fluid ounce is defined as 1/128 of a US gallon.

Common mistakes

Confusing US fluid ounces with Imperial fluid ounces—they differ by about 4% (US: 29.57 mL, Imperial: 28.41 mL). Also, confusing fluid ounces (volume) with avoirdupois ounces (weight), which are completely different measurements.

When is this conversion used?

Converting between cubic centimetre and US fluid ounce is common when working across metric and imperial systems, such as international trade, travel between countries with different measurement standards, or following instructions from a different region.

Worked examples

1 cubic centimetre = 0.03381402 US fluid ounce

1 US fluid ounce = 0.02957353 litre

How to convert cubic centimetre to US fluid ounce

To convert cubic centimetre to US fluid ounce, multiply the value by 0.03381402.

To convert US fluid ounce back to cubic centimetre, multiply by 29.57352956.

Measurement standards

The cubic metre is the SI derived unit of volume. The litre, equal to exactly one cubic decimetre (0.001 m³), is accepted by the BIPM for use alongside SI units. Both the lowercase "l" and uppercase "L" are approved symbols for the litre.

Did you know?

An Olympic swimming pool holds 2,500 cubic metres of water — about 2.5 million litres. The Amazon River discharges roughly 209,000 cubic metres per second, enough to fill 84 Olympic pools every single second.

Quick reference: cubic centimetre to US fluid ounce

cubic centimetreUS fluid ounce
0.10.0033814
0.50.01690701
10.03381402
20.06762805
50.16907011
100.33814023
250.84535057
501.69070114
1003.38140227
2508.45350568
50016.90701135
1,00033.8140227

Common values

cubic centimetreUS fluid ounce
A teaspoon5 cubic centimetre0.16907011 US fluid ounce
A cup of coffee250 cubic centimetre8.45350568 US fluid ounce
A water bottle500 cubic centimetre16.90701135 US fluid ounce
A bathtub300,000 cubic centimetre10,144.20681055 US fluid ounce
A swimming pool (Olympic)2.500000e+09 cubic centimetre84,535,056.7546075 US fluid ounce

Available Volume units

More cubic centimetre conversions