In science, volume is defined as the amount of space occupied by matter, whether it is a solid, liquid, or gas. The volume of a regular object can be calculated by multiplying its length, width, and height/03%3A_Measurements/3.04%3A_Length_and_Volume). The SI unit of volume is the cubic meter (m3), but many other units exist, such as the liter (L), cubic centimeter (cm3), fluid ounce (fl oz), pint (pt), quart (qt), and gallon (gal) . In chemistry experiments, volume is usually expressed in milliliters (mL) rather than cubic meters because experiments typically involve relatively small quantities of liquid solutions.
It is important to note that unlike mass, volume can change depending on factors such as the state of matter, temperature, and pressure. For example, the volume of gas depends on the volume of its container, and even solid objects like cotton or styrofoam can be shrunk due to the spaces in their macroscopic proportions. Therefore, a more precise definition of volume is necessary, which is usually predicated on specific parameters like temperature and pressure.
To measure the volume of solids, one can measure dimensions and use formulas to find the volume of regular geometric shapes, while calculus calculates the volume of irregular shapes. The volume of a solid may also be determined by its fluid displacement. For liquids, one can measure liquid volume using calibrated containers such as graduated cylinders and burets. The volume obtained by mixing liquids is often additive, but this is not always the case, and the volume of miscible liquids may be less than the sum of the separate volumes. For gases, a variety of units of volume are used, including cubic liters and cubic centimeters.
