Volume Calculator
Calculate volume of 3D shapes including cubes, spheres, cylinders, cones, and more.
3D Shape Calculator
Distance from center to edge
📐 Shape Information
Formulas Used
Calculation Results
Volume
Sphere
Surface Area
Total surface area
Volume (Liters)
Liquid capacity
Volume Conversions
Shape Properties
Real-World Applications
- • Sports balls, planets, spherical tanks
- • Ball bearings, bubbles, droplets
- • Material estimation for construction
- • Liquid capacity calculations
How it works
Volume measures the three-dimensional space inside a solid, in cubic units. Like area, each solid has its own formula — but they all extend a 2-D base into a third dimension. The calculator applies the right formula to your dimensions to find capacity.
Common volume formulas
Box = l × w × h Cylinder = π × r² × h Sphere = 4⁄3 × π × r³
- l, w, h
- length, width, height of a box
- r
- radius of a cylinder or sphere
- h
- height of a cylinder
Worked example
- A box 2 ft × 3 ft × 4 ft
- Volume = l × w × h = 2 × 3 × 4
Volume = 24 cubic feet.
Good to know
- Volume is in cubic units (ft³, m³, cm³) — three lengths multiplied together.
- To convert to capacity, remember the equivalences: 1 ft³ ≈ 7.48 US gallons, and 1,000 cm³ = 1 litre.
- For a compound shape (say an L-shaped tank), split it into simple solids, find each volume, and add them.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the volume formulas for common shapes?
Cube: V = s³. Rectangular box: V = l×w×h. Cylinder: V = πr²h. Sphere: V = (4/3)πr³. Cone: V = (1/3)πr²h. Pyramid: V = (1/3)×base area×h. Prism: V = base area × height. Where s=side, l=length, w=width, h=height, r=radius.
How do I convert between volume units?
1 cubic meter = 1000 liters = 35.315 ft³ = 264.17 gallons. 1 cubic foot = 28.317 liters = 7.481 gallons. 1 gallon (US) = 3.785 liters = 231 in³. 1 liter = 1000 cm³ = 0.264 gallons. Always multiply by conversion factor to go from one unit to another.
How do I calculate irregular shape volumes?
For irregular shapes: 1) Water displacement method - submerge object and measure displaced water. 2) Break into simple shapes - divide complex shapes into cubes, cylinders, etc. 3) Integration for mathematical functions. 4) 3D scanning for precise measurements.
What's the difference between volume and capacity?
Volume measures 3D space an object occupies (cubic units). Capacity measures how much a container can hold (often liquid units like gallons/liters). A box has volume; a tank has both volume and capacity. Capacity usually refers to internal volume of hollow objects.
How do I calculate pool or tank volumes?
Rectangular pool: L×W×Average depth. Round pool: πr²×depth. Oval pool: π×(L/2)×(W/2)×depth. For gallons, multiply cubic feet by 7.48. Irregular pools: divide into sections. Remember to account for slopes and varying depths by using average depth.
What are practical applications of volume calculations?
Construction: concrete needed, excavation volumes. Shipping: container space, packaging. Cooking: recipe scaling, pan sizes. Agriculture: grain storage, irrigation. Manufacturing: material requirements, tank sizing. Home projects: mulch/soil needed, paint coverage (1 gallon ≈ 230 cubic inches).