Cubic Kilometers to Cubic Meters
Converter

Conversion Table

How to convert

1 cubic kilometer (cu km) = 1000000000 cubic meter (cu m). Cubic Kilometer (cu km) is a unit of Volume used in Metric system. Cubic Meter (cu m) is a unit of Volume used in Metric system.

Cubic Kilometers: A Unit of Volume

Definition of the Cubic Kilometer

A cubic kilometer is a unit of volume that measures how much space an object or substance occupies. It is equal to the volume of a cube that has a side length of one kilometer, or 1000 meters. One cubic kilometer can also be written as km³ or 10⁹ m³.

History of the Cubic Kilometer

The cubic kilometer is a metric unit that was derived from the meter, which was first defined in 1793 by the French Academy of Sciences as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole. The meter was later redefined several times based on different physical standards, such as a platinum-iridium bar and a wavelength of light. In 1983, the meter was finally defined as the length of the path traveled by light in vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.

The cubic kilometer, as well as other metric units of volume, such as the liter and the cubic meter, were introduced in the 19th century as part of the decimal system of measurement that aimed to simplify and unify the units used in science and commerce. The cubic kilometer was officially adopted by the International System of Units (SI) in 1960 as one of the seven base units.

How to Convert Cubic Kilometers

To convert cubic kilometers to other units of volume, we need to use conversion factors that relate the cubic kilometer to the desired unit. For example, to convert cubic kilometers to liters, we need to know that one liter is equal to one cubic decimeter, or 0.001 cubic meters. Therefore, one cubic kilometer is equal to 10⁹ cubic meters, or 10¹² liters.

Here are some common conversion factors for cubic kilometers:

• 1 km³ = 10⁹ m³
• 1 km³ = 10¹² L
• 1 km³ = 264.172 billion US gallons
• 1 km³ = 219.969 billion UK gallons
• 1 km³ = 35.315 billion ft³
• 1 km³ = 1.307 billion yd³
• 1 km³ = 6.289 billion barrels (oil)
• 1 km³ = 810,713 acre-feet

To convert from other units of volume to cubic kilometers, we need to use the inverse of these conversion factors. For example, to convert liters to cubic kilometers, we need to divide by 10¹².

Where Cubic Kilometers are Used

The cubic kilometer is a very large unit of volume that is mainly used to measure the volume of water in large bodies such as oceans, lakes, rivers and glaciers. For example, according to the US Geological Survey, the volume of water in all the oceans of the world is about 1.335 billion km³. The volume of water in Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world, is about 12,100 km³. The volume of water in the Amazon River, the largest river by discharge in the world, is about 0.21 km³/day.

The cubic kilometer is also used to measure the volume of some natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides. For example, according to NASA, the volume of material ejected by the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 was about 10 km³. The volume of rock displaced by the Tohoku earthquake in 2011 was about 800 km³. The volume of soil and rock involved in the Bingham Canyon landslide in Utah in 2013 was about 0.065 km³.

Example Conversions of Cubic Kilometers to Other Units

Here are some examples of how to convert cubic kilometers to other units of volume using the conversion factors given above:

• 2 km³ = 2 x 10⁹ m³ = 2 billion m³
• 3 km³ = 3 x 10¹² L = 3 trillion L
• 4 km³ = 4 x 264.172 billion US gallons = 1.057 trillion US gallons
• 5 km³ = 5 x 219.969 billion UK gallons = 1.1 trillion UK gallons
• 6 km³ = 6 x 35.315 billion ft³ = 211.89 billion ft³
• 7 km³ = 7 x 1.307 billion yd³ = 9.149 billion yd³
• 8 km³ = 8 x 6.289 billion barrels (oil) = 50.312 billion barrels (oil)
• 9 km³ = 9 x 810,713 acre-feet = 7.296 million acre-feet

Conclusion

The cubic kilometer is a unit of volume that is equal to the volume of a cube that has a side length of one kilometer. It is mainly used to measure the volume of water in large bodies such as oceans, lakes, rivers and glaciers, as well as some natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides. To convert cubic kilometers to other units of volume, we need to use conversion factors that relate the cubic kilometer to the desired unit.

Cubic Meters - A Unit of Volume

Definition of the Cubic Meter

A cubic meter (symbol m3 or meter cube) is a unit of volume that is used in the International System of Units (SI). It is defined as the volume of a cube with sides of 1 meter (3 feet, 36 inches, or 0.9144 meters) in length.

One cubic meter is equal to 1000 liters, 35.3 cubic feet, or 1.3 cubic yards.

History of the Cubic Meter

The cubic meter is derived from the meter, which is the base unit of length in the SI system. The meter was originally defined in 1793 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a meridian through Paris. The meter was later redefined several times based on different physical standards, such as a platinum-iridium bar and a wavelength of light. The current definition of the meter, adopted in 1983, is based on the speed of light in vacuum

The cubic meter was first used as a unit of volume for measuring water supply in France in the late 18th century. It was also used for measuring gas, wood, and other substances. The cubic meter was adopted as a standard unit of measure in the SI system in 1960. It is still widely used today for various purposes, such as science, engineering, commerce, and everyday life.

How to Convert Cubic Meters

To convert cubic meters to other units of volume, you need to multiply or divide by the appropriate conversion factor. Here are some common conversion factors and examples:

• To convert cubic meters to liters, multiply by 1000.
  • Example: 2 m3 x 1000 = 2000 L
• To convert cubic meters to cubic feet, multiply by 35.3.
  • Example: 2 m3 x 35.3 = 70.6 ft3
• To convert cubic meters to cubic yards, multiply by 1.3.
  • Example: 2 m3 x 1.3 = 2.6 yd3
• To convert cubic meters to gallons (US liquid), multiply by 264.
  • Example: 2 m3 x 264 = 528 gal
• To convert cubic meters to bushels (US), multiply by 28.4.
  • Example: 2 m3 x 28.4 = 56.8 bu
• To convert cubic meters to barrels (oil), multiply by 6.29.
  • Example: 2 m3 x 6.29 = 12.58 bbl

To convert other units of volume to cubic meters, you need to divide by the appropriate conversion factor. Here are some common conversion factors and examples:

• To convert liters to cubic meters, divide by 1000.
  • Example: 2000 L / 1000 = 2 m3
• To convert cubic feet to cubic meters, divide by 35.3.
  • Example: 70.6 ft3 / 35.3 = 2 m3
• To convert cubic yards to cubic meters, divide by 1.3.
  • Example: 2.6 yd3 / 1.3 = 2 m3
• To convert gallons (US liquid) to cubic meters, divide by 264.
  • Example: 528 gal / 264 = 2 m3
• To convert bushels (US) to cubic meters, divide by 28.4.
  • Example: 56.8 bu / 28.4 = 2 m3
• To convert barrels (oil) to cubic meters, divide by 6.29.
  • Example: 12.58 bbl / 6.29 = 2 m3

Where Cubic Meters are Used

Cubic meters are used for measuring various materials and substances in different countries and applications.

Some examples are:

• In most countries that use the metric system, cubic meters are used for measuring water supply, gas consumption, wood volume, and other liquids and solids.
• In some countries that use the imperial system, such as the United Kingdom and Canada, cubic meters are used for measuring natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and electricity.
• In the European Union, cubic meters are used for measuring carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption.
• In the aviation industry, cubic meters are used for measuring the cargo capacity of aircraft and air freight.
• In the shipping industry, cubic meters are used for measuring the volume of containers and cargo ships.

Example Conversions of Cubic Meters to Other Units

Here are some example conversions of cubic meters to other units of volume:

• 1 m3 = 1000 L
• 1 m3 = 35.3 ft3
• 1 m3 = 1.3 yd3
• 1 m3 = 264 gal
• 1 m3 = 28.4 bu
• 1 m3 = 6.29 bbl
• 1 m3 = 0.001 km3