Volume Calculator

Select a shape and enter dimensions to calculate its volume.

Volume
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Formula Used

About Volume Calculator

The Volume Calculator computes the volume of seven common three-dimensional shapes: sphere, cylinder, cone, cube, rectangular prism, pyramid, and torus. Select a shape, input the required dimensions (such as radius, height, length, or width), and the tool returns the volume along with the formula used. Volume quantifies the three-dimensional space an object occupies, a concept that appears throughout construction, manufacturing, shipping, science, and everyday life. Use it to determine how much concrete is needed for a cylindrical pillar, the capacity of a storage tank, the size of a shipping box, or the amount of liquid a container can hold. Each shape uses its standard geometric formula — the sphere uses (4/3)πr³, the cylinder uses πr²h, and the cone uses (1/3)πr²h. Seeing the formula alongside the result reinforces the geometric relationships between dimensions and volume. This calculator is valuable for students studying solid geometry, for engineers and architects estimating material volumes, for hobbyists in 3D printing or woodworking, and for anyone needing quick and reliable volume calculations for real-world projects.

When to Use This Calculator

Construction & Concrete: Whether you're pouring a concrete slab, filling cylindrical footings, or ordering gravel for a driveway, you need accurate volume. A rectangular slab that's 10 ft by 12 ft by 4 inches thick needs 1.48 cubic yards of concrete. Get it wrong and you're paying for wasted material or a short pour.

Aquariums & Ponds: A cylindrical fish tank with radius 1.5 ft and height 2 ft holds 14.14 cubic feet of water, which is about 106 gallons. For a rectangular pond that's 6 ft by 4 ft by 2 ft deep, you're looking at 48 cubic feet or 359 gallons. Knowing exact volume helps with filtration and stocking decisions.

Shipping & Storage: Moving boxes come in standard sizes, but your items don't. Calculate whether your rectangular prism item (say 24×18×12 inches) has a volume of 5,184 cubic inches or 3 cubic feet. This helps you decide how many items fit in a shipping container or storage unit.

How to Use This Calculator

Imagine you're filling a cylindrical water tank that has a radius of 2 meters and a height of 3 meters. Select "Cylinder" from the shape dropdown, enter 2 for Radius and 3 for Height, then click Calculate. The volume is 37.7 cubic meters — that's about 37,700 liters of water. Now suppose you want to compare that with a spherical tank of radius 2 meters. Switch to "Sphere", enter 2 for Radius, and you get 33.51 cubic meters. The sphere actually holds less than the cylinder despite having the same radius. For a concrete foundation that's a rectangular prism measuring 4 meters by 3 meters by 0.15 meters (15 cm thick), select "Rectangular Prism", enter length 4, width 3, and height 0.15, and you'll need 1.8 cubic meters of concrete — that's about 4.3 tons.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a cone and a cylinder when calculating volume?

A cylinder's volume is πr²h, while a cone's is exactly one-third of that: (1/3)πr²h. So if a cylinder and a cone share the same radius and height, the cone holds only 33.3% of the cylinder's volume. For example, a cone with radius 3 and height 6 has volume 56.55, while the same-sized cylinder has 169.65 cubic units.

How do I calculate the volume of a cylinder?

The volume of a cylinder is V = πr²h, where r is the radius of the circular base and h is the height. For example, a cylinder with radius 3 and height 5 has volume V = π × 3² × 5 = π × 9 × 5 = 141.37 cubic units. Select "Cylinder" from the shape dropdown to calculate it instantly.

What is the difference between volume and capacity?

Volume is the amount of 3D space an object occupies, measured in cubic units (m³, cm³, ft³). Capacity is how much a container can hold, typically in liters or gallons. They are related: 1 liter = 0.001 m³ = 1,000 cm³. A tank with volume 0.0377 m³ has a capacity of 37.7 liters.

How do I convert between liters and cubic meters?

One cubic meter equals 1,000 liters. To convert m³ to liters, multiply by 1,000. To convert liters to m³, divide by 1,000. For example, 2.5 m³ = 2,500 liters, and 500 liters = 0.5 m³. The calculator computes volume in cubic units based on the dimensions you enter.

How do I calculate the volume of an irregular object?

Use the water displacement method: submerge the object in a graduated container and measure the volume of water displaced. For approximate calculations, break irregular objects into combinations of standard shapes (sphere + cylinder, rectangular prism + pyramid) and sum their volumes. The calculator supports seven standard shapes.