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Specific Volume Converter

Science

Convert specific volume (the inverse of density) between cubic metres per kilogram, litres per kilogram, and cubic feet per pound instantly.

Reviewed by the thecalcu.com team · Last updated July 5, 2026

From
To
All conversionsfor 1 Litres per Kilogram (L/kg)
Cubic Metres per Kilogram (m³/kg)0.001
Litres per Kilogram (L/kg)1
Cubic Centimetres per Gram (cm³/g)1
Cubic Feet per Pound (ft³/lb)0.016018453
Cubic Inches per Pound (in³/lb)27.679899

What is a Specific Volume?

The Specific Volume Converter converts specific volume, the volume occupied by a unit of mass, and the mathematical inverse of density, between cubic metres per kilogram, litres per kilogram, cubic centimetres per gram, and the imperial cubic feet/inches per pound. Specific volume shows up throughout thermodynamics, particularly in steam tables and refrigeration cycle calculations, where it's often more natural to work with than density directly.

Enter a value in any supported unit and the converter calculates the equivalent instantly. For the inverse quantity, see the Density Converter.

Why Use a Specific Volume Converter?

Steam tables and thermodynamic references sometimes report specific volume in different unit systems depending on their origin, SI-based tables in m³/kg, older US engineering references in ft³/lb. Converting between them for a calculation that mixes data sources requires an accurate, reliable conversion rather than an approximate mental estimate.

Who Should Use This Converter?

  • Thermodynamics and mechanical engineering students working through steam table or gas property problems that mix specific volume units.
  • HVAC and refrigeration engineers converting specific volume data between metric and imperial unit systems.
  • Chemical and process engineers working with specific volume in reactor or process design calculations.

What Insights Does the Specific Volume Converter Give You?

The main output is the converted value in your chosen target unit, calculated precisely from the fixed multiplier relationship between units. Because specific volume is the inverse of density, a very small specific volume value corresponds to a very dense substance, and a very large value corresponds to a very light or diffuse one, useful context when sanity-checking a result.

How to use this Specific Volume calculator

  1. Choose your starting unit from the source dropdown, for example, "Litres per Kilogram (L/kg)".
  2. Enter the numeric value you want to convert in the input field.
  3. Choose your target unit from the destination dropdown, for example, "Cubic Metres per Kilogram (m³/kg)".
  4. Read the converted result, which updates instantly as you type or change units.
  5. Use the swap (⇅) button if you need to reverse the conversion direction.
  6. Use the copy button to grab the result for a thermodynamics calculation or engineering report.
Show formula & methodology ↓Show less ↑

Formula & Methodology

The converter's base unit is cubic metres per kilogram (m³/kg). Every supported unit has a fixed multiplier to m³/kg:

- 1 litre per kilogram (L/kg) = 0.001 m³/kg
- 1 cubic centimetre per gram (cm³/g) = 0.001 m³/kg
- 1 cubic foot per pound (ft³/lb) = 0.062428 m³/kg
- 1 cubic inch per pound (in³/lb) = 0.0000361273 m³/kg

Any conversion follows:

Result = Input × (toBase of source unit ÷ toBase of target unit)

Worked example, converting 1 L/kg (water's approximate specific volume) to m³/kg:

Result = 1 × (0.001 ÷ 1) = 0.001 m³/kg

This matches the standard reference value for water's specific volume at normal conditions.

Related Tools

You may also find these useful: Volume Converter, Weight & Mass Converter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is specific volume?
Specific volume is the volume occupied by a unit of mass of a substance, the mathematical inverse of density. Where density tells you mass per unit volume (kg/m³), specific volume tells you volume per unit mass (m³/kg), and the two are related by specific volume = 1 ÷ density.
How do I convert litres per kilogram to cubic metres per kilogram?
Divide the L/kg value by 1,000, since one cubic metre equals 1,000 litres. Enter your value with 'Litres per Kilogram (L/kg)' as the source and 'Cubic Metres per Kilogram (m³/kg)' as the target to apply this automatically.
Why is cm³/g numerically the same as L/kg?
Both units simplify to the same underlying ratio: 1 cubic centimetre per gram equals 1,000 cubic centimetres per 1,000 grams, which is exactly 1 litre per kilogram, the metric system's consistent base-10 scaling means these two unit pairs happen to produce identical numeric values.
What fields commonly use specific volume instead of density?
Thermodynamics and steam/gas engineering commonly use specific volume rather than density, particularly in steam tables and refrigeration cycle calculations, because many thermodynamic equations are naturally expressed in terms of volume per unit mass rather than mass per unit volume.
How do I convert specific volume to density?
Take the reciprocal (1 ÷ value) after converting to consistent units, for example, a specific volume of 0.001 m³/kg corresponds to a density of 1,000 kg/m³. This converter handles unit conversion within specific volume; use the [Density Converter](/density-converter/) for the density side of the relationship.
What is a typical specific volume for water?
Water at standard conditions has a specific volume of approximately 0.001 m³/kg (equivalently 1 L/kg), reflecting its density of about 1,000 kg/m³, this is a useful reference point for sanity-checking other specific volume calculations.
How does specific volume change with temperature and pressure?
Specific volume generally increases with temperature (as substances expand) and decreases with pressure (as substances compress), which is why steam tables and gas property tables list specific volume at specific temperature and pressure conditions rather than a single fixed value.
Why do US engineering contexts use cubic feet per pound?
US imperial engineering practice, particularly in HVAC and steam engineering, traditionally uses cubic feet per pound as the specific volume unit, paralleling how density is expressed in pounds per cubic foot in the same industries.
Can I use this converter for gases as well as liquids and solids?
Yes, specific volume applies to any substance regardless of phase, though gas specific volumes are typically much larger than liquid or solid specific volumes for the same mass, since gases are far less dense.
Is specific volume the same as molar volume?
No, specific volume is volume per unit mass (m³/kg), while molar volume is volume per mole of substance (m³/mol), a related but distinct quantity used in chemistry that accounts for molecular weight rather than just mass.
Also known as
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