Volume vs Capacity: Difference and Comparison

If we talking about measuring the amount of space occupied by an object or the amount of substance a container can hold, volume and capacity are the two measures we can use.

Volume is a unit of three-dimensional measure of space that consists of a length, a width, and a height. Capacity on the other hand is a measure of such ability, volume.

It’s a measure that determines the amount of space that a container can hold. The total amount of matter that can be contained in an object defines the capacity of the container.

In this article (volume vs capacity), we will be discussing the difference between these measures, volume and capacity.

Definition of Volume

Volume is a unit of three-dimensional measure of space consisting of a length, a width, and a height. We calculate the volume of an object by simply multiplying the length, width, and height.

Volume is measured in units of cubic centimetres in metric, cubic inches or cubic feet in English measurement. It’s the space taken up by a substance whether solid or liquid.

By assessing the volume of an object, it’s easy to determine the amount of space covered by that object. Based on the shape of the object, its volume is likely to change.

Let’s look at an example of how to calculate the volume of an object with specific measurements.

A rectangular box that is 8 centimetres long, 5 centimetres wide, and 2 centimetres tall. How would you calculate its volume?
We calculate the volume of this rectangular box by simply multiplying its length, width, and height.
Volume = length X width X height. Length = 8 cm, width = 5 cm, and height = 2 cm.
Volume = 8 cm X 5 cm X 2 cm = 80 cm³

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Definition of Capacity

Capacity is a measure, the ability of the hollow object to hold substances whether liquid, solid, or gas. It’s a measure that determines the amount of space that a container can hold. The total amount of matter that can be contained in an object defines the capacity of the container.

Generally, if you fill a hollow object with a liquid or gas, it takes the shape of the container it’s contained in. Therefore, the maximum amount of substance that the container is able to hold whether liquid or gas, is its capacity.

Capacity is measured in metric units like in litres or gallons.

Let’s use the fuel tank of a car for example. It has a certain capacity, which every car owner is aware of and knows the maximum amount of fluid it can contain.

The same thing applies to a water bottle, which generally has a specific capacity. You know how much a water bottle you personally use can hold at maximum.

While volume depends on the shape of the container, capacity does not, but only depends on the dimension of the container.

If there is a rectangular container that is 8 centimetres long, 5 centimetres wide, and 2 centimetres tall. How do you calculate the capacity of the rectangular container?

Its capacity can be calculated by simply multiplying the three dimensions; C = l X w X h.
Length = 8 cm, width = 5 cm, and height = 2 cm.
Capacity = 8 cm X 5 cm X 2 cm = 80 cm³

Volume vs Capacity

Capacity is a measure, the ability of the hollow object to hold substances whether liquid, solid, or gas. Volume on the other hand is a unit of three-dimensional measure of space consisting of a length, a width, and a height.

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Volume vs Capacity: Comparison Chart

	Volume	Capacity
Definition	Volume is a unit of three dimensional measure of space consisting of a length, a width, and a height. We calculate the volume of an object by simply multiplying the length, width, and height.	Capacity is a measure, the ability of the hollow object to hold substances whether liquid, solid, or gas. It’s a measure that determines the amount of space that a container can hold.
Measurement	It’s measured in units of cubic centimetres in metric, cubic inches or cubic feet in English measurement.	Capacity is measured in metric units like in litres or gallons
Object	Both hollow and solid objects have volume.	Only hollow objects have capacity
	It’s the space taken up by a substance whether solid or liquid.	The maximum amount of substance that the container is able to hold whether liquid or gas, is its capacity.

Volume vs Capacity: Unit of Measurement for Volume and Capacity

Volume is a unit of three-dimensional measure of space consisting of a length, a width, and a height, while capacity is a measure, the ability of the hollow object to hold substances whether liquid, solid, or gas.

Volume is measured in units of cubic centimetres in metric, cubic inches or cubic feet in English measurement. In contrast, capacity is measured in metric units like in litres, millilitres, gallons, etc.

In the Imperial System, capacity is measured in gallons or fluid ounces, whereas volume is measured in cubic inches, cubic feet, or fluid ounces.

In a mathematical application, it’s important to understand how to convert between various units of measurement. Knowing how to convert between different units of measurement helps when it comes to filling objects with liquid, especially large ones.

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Volume vs Capacity: More Differences

Volume	Capacity
The amount of space an object occupies.	It’s a measure that determines the amount of space that a container can hold.
Measured in units of cubic centimetres in metric, cubic inches or cubic feet.	Measured in metric units like in litres, millilitres, gallons, etc.
Examples are a cube, cylinder, or sphere.	Examples are fuel tanks, water bottles, swimming pools.
Depends on the shape and size of the container	Only depends on the dimension of the container
Calculated by simply multiplying three dimensions of the object	Calculated by simply multiplying three dimensions of a container

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are a few frequently asked questions about the difference between volume vs capacity.

What is volume?

Volume is a unit of three-dimensional measure of space consisting of a length, a width, and a height. We calculate the volume of an object by simply multiplying the length, width, and height.

What is capacity?

Capacity is a measure, the ability of the hollow object to hold substances whether liquid, solid, or gas. It’s a measure that determines the amount of space that a container can hold.

What is the unit of measurement of volume?

Volume is measured in units of cubic centimetres in metric, cubic inches or cubic feet in English measurement. In the Imperial System, it’s measured in cubic inches, cubic feet, or fluid ounces.

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What is the unit of measurement of capacity?

The standard unit of capacity is a litre, while its smaller unit is a millilitre.

Conclusion

Volume is a unit of three-dimensional measure of space that consists of a length, a width, and a height, while capacity is a measure, the ability of the hollow object to hold substances whether liquid, solid, or gas.

By assessing the volume of an object, it’s easy to determine the amount of space covered by that object. The maximum amount of substance that the container is able to hold whether liquid or gas, is its capacity.

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References

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