1. Volume or Liquid Measurement
Unit 24
Volume or Liquid Measurement

2. Basic Principles of Volume or Liquid Measurement
In the English system, the units for volume or liquid measurement are drops, teaspoons, tablespoons, ounces, pints, and quarts.
In the metric system, the base unit for volume or liquid measurement is the liter.

3. Converting Volume or Liquid Measurements
Conversion from one unit to another follows the same rules as linear or mass measurement.
To convert between metric volume measurements and English volume measurements, follow the same rules used for linear or mass and weight measurements to convert between English and metric units.
The easiest way to convert between English and metric measurements is to set up a proportion.

4. Volume or Liquid Measurements
Example: A patient on an intake and output (I & O) record drinks 2 1/2 cups (cp) of coffee. The geriatric assistant must record this amount in milliliters (mL).
How many mL does he record on the I & O record?
Find an English-metric equivalent: 1 cp = 240 mL

5. Volume or Liquid Measurements
Set up a proportion:
Multiply the extremes: 1 x X = X
Multiply the means: 240 x 2.5 = 600
The patient drank 600mL of coffee.

6. Practical Problem Prepared infant formula comes in 1-liter (L) cans.
If an infant drinks 150 mL per feeding, how many feedings are in 1 can of formula?

7. Practical Problem
Make all units the same (1L = 1,000mL). Then set up the proportion and cross-multiply:
Each can of formula provides 6.7 feedings.