cubic metre
SI coherent derived unit
| Name | Symbol | Quantity | Base units |
| cubic metre | m3 | volume | m3 |
 The cubic metre, symbol m3, is the SI coherent derived unit of volume.One cubic metre is equal to the volume of a cube with edges one metre in length. |
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| Definition | c3 ΔνCs-3 | ||
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Volume
Volume is the quantity that expresses the size of a three-dimensional space.
Capacity
The internal volume of a container, especially one intended to hold a liquid, is often described as the container’s capacity.
The metric system makes no distinction between the terms capacity and volume – all three-dimensional spaces are measured with the same units.
Usage
The name of the unit whose symbol is m3 is the cubic metre. To avoid confusion with shape descriptors such as “metre cube”, improvised unit names such as “metre cubed” and “metres cubed”, should not be used.
The correct use of the unit name, cubic metre, is particularly important to prevent any misunderstanding. For example, describing a volume of 10 m3 as “10 metres cubed” could be interpreted to mean (10 m)3, which would be 1000 m3.
avoid confusion. For example, describing a volume of 10 m3 as “10 metres cubed” could be interpreted to mean (10 m)3, which would be 1000 m3.
Similarly, abbreviations, such as “m cu.”, “cu.m.” and “CU.M.”, must not be used in place of the SI symbol m3.
Metre cube
A cube is a three-dimensional shape with six equal square faces, each face having four equal sides and four right angles. Cubes can be described according to the length of their sides.
e.g. A 1-metre cube is a cube whose sides are one metre in length, and a 2-metre cube is a cube whose sides are two metres in length.
A 2-metre cube has a volume of (2 metres) cubed, i.e. 8 cubic metres.
Note: A 2-metre cube does not have a volume of 2 m3.
Non-SI units of volume
The litre, symbol L or l, is a non-SI unit of volume, accepted for use with the SI. It is equal to one cubic decimetre, symbol dm3.
SI prefixes can be used with the litre; one microlitre is equal to one cubic millimetre, and one millilitre is equal to one cubic centimetre.
Orders of magnitude
| 1000 mm3 | = 1 cm3 | = 1000 µL | = 1 mL | = | 10-6 m3 |
| 1000 cm3 | = 1 dm3 | = 1000 mL | = 1 L | = | 10-3 m3 |
| 1000 dm3 | = 1 m3 | = 1000 L | = 1 kL | = | 100 m3 |
| 1000 m3 | = 1 dam3 | = 1000 kL | = 1 ML | = | 103 m3 |
| 1000 dam3 | = 1 hm3 | = 1000 ML | = 1 GL | = | 106 m3 |
| 1000 hm3 | = 1 km3 | = 1000 GL | = 1 TL | = | 109 m3 |
Metric System 