What is the relationship between cubic centimeters and liters?

What is the relationship between cubic centimeters and liters?

• A. 1,000 cubic centimeters (cm3) equals one liter (L)
• B. 1 cubic centimeter (cm3) equals one liter (L)
• C. 1 L equals 100 cm3
• D. 1,000 liters equals 1 cm3

Answer: (A)

Volume units in the metric system are connected by decimal factors. A liter is defined as a cubic decimeter, which is 10 cm on each edge, giving a volume of 10×10×10 = 1000 cubic centimeters. So 1 liter equals 1000 cm^3, and equivalently 1 cm^3 equals 0.001 liters. This is why the correct statement is that 1000 cubic centimeters make up one liter. The other ideas mix up the scale: a cubic centimeter is much smaller than a liter (it’s a milliliter), so it isn’t equal to a liter; 1 L isn’t 100 cm^3; and 1 cm^3 isn’t 1,000 liters.

Volume units in the metric system are connected by decimal factors. A liter is defined as a cubic decimeter, which is 10 cm on each edge, giving a volume of 10×10×10 = 1000 cubic centimeters. So 1 liter equals 1000 cm^3, and equivalently 1 cm^3 equals 0.001 liters. This is why the correct statement is that 1000 cubic centimeters make up one liter. The other ideas mix up the scale: a cubic centimeter is much smaller than a liter (it’s a milliliter), so it isn’t equal to a liter; 1 L isn’t 100 cm^3; and 1 cm^3 isn’t 1,000 liters.