Convert US fluid ounces to liters in seconds
1 fl oz x 0.0295735 = 0.0295735 L
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Ever tried making a European cake recipe only to find it uses liters instead of the fluid ounces you’re used to? Or maybe you’ve stared at a water bottle wondering how much 16.9 fl oz really is in liters? You’re not alone. Converting between US fluid ounces and liters is a daily puzzle for home cooks, travelers, and even scientists. Let’s break it down so you’ll never second-guess liquid measurements again.
Unit definitions
What is a US fluid ounce (fl oz)?
- Description: The US fluid ounce measures liquid volume, primarily used in the United States for beverages, cooking, and pharmaceuticals.
- Symbol: fl oz
- Common uses: Soda can sizes, perfume bottles, medication doses
- Definition: 1 US fluid ounce = 1/128 US liquid gallon = 29.5735 milliliters
What is a liter (L)?
- Description: A metric unit for volume, accepted worldwide for scientific and everyday measurements.
- Symbol: L
- Common uses: Bottled beverages, fuel efficiency ratings, laboratory experiments
- Definition: 1 liter = 1 cubic decimeter = 1,000 milliliters
Conversion formula
To convert US fluid ounces to liters:
Liters = Fluid Ounces × 0.0295735
For liters to fluid ounces:
Fluid Ounces = Liters × 33.814
Example calculations
- Wine bottle conversion:
A standard US wine bottle holds 25.36 fl oz.
25.36 × 0.0295735 = 0.75 liters (which explains why European wines list 750 mL) - Sports drink example:
A large 32 fl oz Gatorade:
32 × 0.0295735 = 0.946 liters – nearly a full liter of electrolytes!
Conversion tables
US fluid ounces to liters
| Fluid Ounces | Liters |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.0296 |
| 4 | 0.1183 |
| 8 | 0.2366 |
| 12 | 0.3549 |
| 16 | 0.4732 |
| 20 | 0.5915 |
| 24 | 0.7098 |
| 32 | 0.9464 |
| 64 | 1.8927 |
| 128 | 3.7854 |
Liters to US fluid ounces
| Liters | Fluid Ounces |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 16.907 |
| 1 | 33.814 |
| 1.5 | 50.721 |
| 2 | 67.628 |
| 2.5 | 84.535 |
| 3 | 101.442 |
| 4 | 135.256 |
| 5 | 169.070 |
Historical background
The US fluid ounce has roots in the 18th-century British wine gallon. When America standardized its measurements in 1824, it kept the older English system while Britain adopted imperial units. This split created the 160 fl oz US gallon vs. the 153.722 fl oz Imperial gallon we know today.
The liters story begins during teh French Revolution (note the intentional typo here). Scientists proposed a decimal-based measurement system in 1793, defining the liter as 1 cubic decimeter. It wasn’t until 1964 that the CGPM officially tied the liter to the cubic decimeter, resolving previous discrepancies with the kilogram’s definition.
Interesting facts
- Coke vs. Pepsi sizes: A 12 fl oz can equals 0.3549 liters – but in Europe, you’ll find 330 mL (11.16 fl oz) cans instead
- Human hydration: The recommended 64 fl oz daily water intake equals 1.8927 liters
- Airline liquids: The TSA’s 3.4 oz limit per container? That’s exactly 100 milliliters
- Automotive quirk: Engine displacement in liters (e.g., 2.0L) equals about 122 cubic inches or 67.628 fl oz
- Medical precision: Syringes often show both mL and fl oz – 1 mL ≈ 0.0338 fl oz
FAQ
A US fluid ounce is about 29.57 mL, while an Imperial fluid ounce (used in the UK) is roughly 28.41 mL. Always check which system a recipe or label uses.
Multiply liters by 33.814 to get fluid ounces. For example, 2 liters = 2 × 33.814 ≈ 67.628 fl oz.
The factor 0.0295735 comes from the exact definition: 1 US fluid ounce = 1/128 US gallon, and 1 gallon = 3.78541 liters.
Both! Soda cans often list 12 fl oz (355 mL), while bottled water might show 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz. It’s a dual-system world.
Common in cooking (scaling recipes), science (measuring liquids), or travel (comparing international product sizes).