This document discusses the differences between capacity and volume. It defines capacity as the amount a container can hold, and volume as the amount a container can hold in cubic units. It then provides examples of measuring the capacity of a cylinder in cups and the volume of a box in cubic units. Finally, it lists common measures of capacity and volume.

1. Dr. Beth McCulloch Vinson
Athens State University
PT3 Grant Funding, Summer 2000

2. Capacity is the amount that a
container will hold.

3. Volume is the amount that a
container will hold
in cubic units.

4. Let’s see how
many cups that
this cylinder
will hold.

5. The capacity of
the cylinder is
6 cups.
Count with me as
we pour the cups of
sugar in
one-at-a-time.
1 cup
2 cups
3 cups
4 cups
5 cups
6 cups
sugar

6. What is the
volume of
this box?

7. Let’s count
the number
of cubes that
it will take
to fill this
box.

8. 5
10
15
20
40
60
80
The
volume of
this box is
80 cubic
units.

9. These are the common measures
of capacity:
fluid ounce milliliter
cup liter
pint quart gallon

10. These are the common measures
of volume:
cubic inch cubic foot
cubic centimeter cubic meter
cubic yard

11. A Project Developed for
Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use
Technology (PT3)
By Dr. Beth McCulloch Vinson
Athens State University, College of Education
http://www.athens.edu/vinsobm