Cubic metre

One cubic metre of concrete (representing the world annual production per inhabitant)

The cubic metre (symbol m³) is the SI unit of volume. It is a cube with a length, height, and width of one metre, with 1,000 litres of space.

In the many places it is spelled "cubic meter". Other names are stère and kilolitre or kiloliter.

Conversions

1 cubic metre equals:

• 1,000 litres
• Approximately 35.3 cubic feet
• Approximately 1.31 cubic yards
• Approximately 6.29 oil barrels

A cubic metre of pure water at the temperature of maximum density (3.98 °C) and standard atmospheric pressure (101.325 kPa) has a mass of 1000 kg, or one tonne. At 0 °C, the freezing point of water, it is slightly less, 999.972 kg.

It is sometimes abbreviated cu m, m3, M3, m^3, m**3, when superscript characters or markup are not available/accessible (i.e. in some typewritten documents and postings in Usenet newsgroups).

Abbreviated CBM in the freight business and MTQ (or numeric code 49) in international trade.

Multiples and submultiples

Multiples

Cubic decametre

the volume of a cube of side length one decametre (10 m)

equal to a megalitre

1 dam³ = 1,000 m³ = 1 ML

Cubic hectometre

the volume of a cube of side length one hectometre (100 m)

equal to a gigalitre

1 hm³ = 1,000,000 m³ = 1 GL

Cubic kilometre

the volume of a cube of side length one kilometre (1,000 m)

equal to a teralitre

1 km³ = 1,000,000,000 m³ = 1 TL

Submultiples

Cubic decimetre

the volume of a cube of side length one decimetre (0.1 m)

equal to a litre

1 dm³ = 0.001 m³ = 1 L

Cubic centimetre

the volume of a cube of side length one centimetre (0.01 m)

equal to a millilitre

1 cm³ = 0.000001 m³ = 10^-6 m³ = 1 mL

Cubic millimetre

the volume of a cube of side length one millimetre (0.001 m)

equal to a microlitre

1 mm³ = 0.000000001 m³ = 10^-9 m³ = 1 µL