Volume Calculator
Easily find the volume of common 3D shapes using metric or imperial units.
How to use this calculator
Choose Cube, Rectangular Prism, Cylinder, or Sphere. Enter positive dimensions, select the measurement unit and the result unit, then select Calculate. All dimensions use the same input unit. For a cube, enter one edge length. For a cylinder or sphere, enter the radius: half the diameter.
HOW THE CALCULATION WORKS
A cube has volume s³. A rectangular prism uses length × width × height. A cylinder uses π × radius² × height, and a sphere uses 4 × π × radius³ ÷ 3. These formulas describe ideal geometric shapes; they do not account for wall thickness or irregular surfaces.
WORKED EXAMPLES
A box measuring 2 m × 3 m × 4 m holds 24 m³. A cylinder with radius 0.5 m and height 2 m holds about 1.571 m³. If its diameter is 1 m, enter 0.5 m as the radius. Entering the diameter as the radius makes a cylinder result four times too large.
UNDERSTANDING CUBIC UNITS
Volume measures three-dimensional space. One cubic meter equals 1,000 liters or 1,000,000 cubic centimeters. When converting lengths, the conversion factor is cubed: a 10 cm cube has volume 1,000 cm³, which is 0.001 m³.
USING THE RESULT
For capacity, measure the inside dimensions. For an object’s outside volume, measure its exterior. Split an irregular object into supported shapes and add their volumes; subtract empty spaces where appropriate. Keep extra decimal places until the final result. Material orders may need a separate allowance for waste, compaction, or supplier requirements. This tool calculates geometric volume, not a structural design or a recommended purchase quantity. Single-shape results assume a solid object.