Year 5 Maths: Converting Units of Capacity

Introduction to Capacity

Hello, Year 5! Today, we are going to learn about capacity. Capacity tells us how much liquid a container can hold. We often measure capacity using units like litres (L) and millilitres (mL).

Understanding Units of Capacity

1. Litres (L): This is a larger unit. For example, a large bottle of water might hold 1 litre.
2. Millilitres (mL): This is a smaller unit. A teaspoon usually holds about 5 millilitres.

Key Conversion Facts

• 1 litre = 1,000 millilitres
• 1 millilitre = 0.001 litres

This means that when you have litres, you can convert it to millilitres by multiplying by 1,000. And if you have millilitres, you can convert it to litres by dividing by 1,000.

Example Conversions

Let’s look at some examples to help us understand.

1. Converting Litres to Millilitres
   • If you have 2 litres, how many millilitres is that?
   $$2 \text{ L} \times 1,000 = 2,000 \text{ mL}$$
2. Converting Millilitres to Litres
   • If you have 500 millilitres, how many litres is that?
   $$500 \text{ mL} \div 1,000 = 0.5 \text{ L}$$

Tips and Tricks

• Remember the conversion factor! Just think: 1 litre is 1,000 millilitres.
• Draw it out! Sometimes, drawing a large container and showing how many smaller containers fit inside can help you visualise capacity.
• Use everyday examples! For instance, a water bottle, a cup, or a jug can help you understand how much they hold.

Practice Questions

Now, let’s practice what we’ve learned! Below are some questions for you to try.

Easy Level Questions

1. How many millilitres are in 1 litre?
2. Convert 3 litres to millilitres.
3. Convert 250 millilitres to litres.
4. How many millilitres are in 5 litres?
5. If a bottle holds 750 mL, how many litres does it hold?
6. Convert 1.5 litres to millilitres.
7. What is 1000 mL in litres?
8. If a jug holds 2 litres, how many mL is that?
9. Convert 500 mL to litres.
10. How many litres are in 2,000 mL?

Medium Level Questions

11. If you have 4.5 litres, how many millilitres do you have?
12. Convert 1,250 mL to litres.
13. What is 0.75 litres in millilitres?
14. If a container holds 3,000 mL, how many litres is that?
15. Convert 200 mL to litres.
16. How many millilitres are there in 0.1 litre?
17. If you have 5 litres and pour out 2, how many millilitres are left?
18. Convert 1.2 litres to millilitres.
19. If a glass holds 300 mL, how many glasses can you fill with 2 litres?
20. Convert 1,500 mL to litres.

Hard Level Questions

21. A tank holds 10 litres. How many millilitres can it hold?
22. You have 3.75 litres of juice. How many mL is that?
23. Convert 5,500 mL to litres.
24. If you drink 200 mL from a 1.5 L bottle, how much is left in litres?
25. Convert 650 mL to litres.
26. How many litres are in 4,500 mL?
27. If a recipe calls for 0.5 litres of water, how many millilitres do you need?
28. You filled a pool with 15,000 mL of water. How many litres is that?
29. Convert 2.2 litres to millilitres.
30. A bottle can hold 0.3 litres. How many millilitres is that?

Answers

Here are the answers to the questions. You can check your work!

Easy Level Answers

1. 1,000 mL
2. 3,000 mL
3. 0.25 L
4. 5,000 mL
5. 0.75 L
6. 1,500 mL
7. 1 L
8. 2,000 mL
9. 0.5 L
10. 2 L

Medium Level Answers

11. 4,500 mL
12. 1.25 L
13. 750 mL
14. 3 L
15. 0.2 L
16. 100 mL
17. 3,000 mL (3 L)
18. 1,200 mL
19. 10 glasses
20. 1.5 L

Hard Level Answers

21. 10,000 mL
22. 3,750 mL
23. 5.5 L
24. 1.3 L
25. 0.65 L
26. 4.5 L
27. 500 mL
28. 15 L
29. 2,200 mL
30. 300 mL

Conclusion

Great job, Year 5! Now you know how to convert between litres and millilitres. Remember to keep practicing, and soon you’ll be a pro at capacity conversions! If you have any questions, feel free to ask!