What Is Cubic Centimeter (cm³)?
A cubic centimeter is a unit used to measure volume. It tells us how much space something takes up. One cubic centimeter is the same volume as one small cube that is 1 centimeter long, 1 centimeter wide, and 1 centimeter high.
Doctors, scientists, and engineers often use cubic centimeters to describe the amount of liquid or the size of solid objects.
Definition
One cubic centimeter is the volume of a cube with each side exactly 1 centimeter long.
- 1 cm on the length
- 1 cm on the width
- 1 cm on the height
So:
- 1 cubic centimeter = 1 cm × 1 cm × 1 cm
- 1 cubic centimeter = 1 cm³
- 1 cubic centimeter = 1 milliliter (1 mL)
This means if a container holds 10 cm³, it also holds 10 mL of liquid.
History / Origin
The cubic centimeter comes from the metric system, which was first created in France in the late 1700s. The metric system was designed to be simple and based on powers of ten.
First, people defined the meter as a main unit of length. Then they created the centimeter as one hundredth of a meter. A cubic centimeter was then defined as the volume of a cube that has sides of 1 centimeter.
Later, the liter and milliliter became common units for liquids. Because 1 cubic centimeter is exactly the same as 1 milliliter, both units are still used side by side, especially in medicine and science.
Symbol & Abbreviation
The main symbol for cubic centimeter is:
- cm³ which reads as “cubic centimeter”
Other ways you may see it written:
- cm3 when the 3 is not written as a superscript
- cc often used in medicine, for example when measuring injections
All of these mean the same thing in everyday use:
- 1 cm³ = 1 cm3 = 1 cc = 1 mL
Current Use Around the World
Cubic centimeters are used worldwide, especially in places that use the metric system regularly.
Common uses include:
- Medicine to measure doses of liquid drugs or injections, often written as cc or mL
- Science and labs to measure small amounts of liquids and solid samples
- Engines to show engine size, for example, a “150 cc” motorcycle engine
- Cooking and food science to measure small volumes in recipes and experiments
- Education in school science and math to teach volume
Even in countries that often use inches and feet, such as the United States, cubic centimeters are still common in science, medicine, and engine sizes.
Example Conversions
Here are some easy conversions with cubic centimeters.
Between cubic centimeters and milliliters:
- 1 cm³ = 1 mL
- 5 cm³ = 5 mL
- 10 cm³ = 10 mL
- 250 cm³ = 250 mL
Between cubic centimeters and liters:
- 1 liter = 1000 cm³
- 0.5 liter = 500 cm³
- 2 liters = 2000 cm³
- 250 cm³ = 0.25 liter
Between cubic centimeters and cubic meters:
- 1 m³ = 1 000 000 cm³
- 1000 cm³ = 0.001 m³
Between cubic centimeters and cubic inches (approximate):
- 1 cm³ ≈ 0.0610 cubic inches
- 10 cm³ ≈ 0.610 cubic inches
- 100 cm³ ≈ 6.10 cubic inches
- 1000 cm³ ≈ 61.0 cubic inches
Related Units
Units closely related to the cubic centimeter include:
- Milliliter (mL) exactly equal to 1 cm³
- Liter (L) 1 L = 1000 cm³
- Cubic meter (m³) 1 m³ = 1 000 000 cm³
- Cubic millimeter (mm³) 1 cm³ = 1000 mm³
- Cubic inch (in³) used in some countries, 1 in³ is about 16.387 cm³
- Cubic foot (ft³) used for large volumes, 1 ft³ is about 28 316.8 cm³
In everyday life, the most useful related units are milliliters and liters, because they are simple multiples of cubic centimeters.
FAQs
Q: Is 1 cm³ the same as 1 mL?
A: Yes. By definition, 1 cubic centimeter is exactly the same volume as 1 milliliter. They are equal.
Q: What does cc mean?
A: “cc” stands for cubic centimeter. It is another way to write cm³, and it is very common in medicine and for engine sizes.
Q: Why do some people use mL and others use cm³?
A: They are two names for the same volume. In science labs and medicine, mL is often used for liquids, and cm³ is often used for solids, but both are correct.
Q: How big is 100 cm³?
A: 100 cm³ is the same as 100 mL. That is about half of a small 200 mL drink bottle.
Q: Where do I see cubic centimeters in real life?
A: You may see them on medicine labels, science equipment, and on machines and vehicles that list engine sizes, such as “125 cc” or “250 cc” for motorcycles.
Q: Is cubic centimeter an SI unit?
A: The main SI unit for volume is the cubic meter, m³. The cubic centimeter is a smaller unit based on meters and centimeters, so it fits inside the SI system and is widely accepted.