decalitre

A decalitre is a unit of volume in the metric system. It is formed from the SI prefix for ten, deka- (symbol da), applied to the litre (L). Therefore, one decalitre equals ten litres.

In terms of larger-scale conversions, 1 daL = 10 L = 0.01 cubic metres. Since 1 litre is equal to 1,000 cubic centimetres, 1 daL also equals 10,000 cm³. These relationships allow straightforward conversion between decalitres, litres, and cubic metres in practical calculations.

The decalitre is an accepted, but rarely used, SI-compatible unit. The litre is the more commonly employed unit for measuring volume in everyday contexts, with submultiples such as the decilitre (dL) and larger units like the kilolitre (kL) or cubic metre (m³ preferred in many engineering applications). As a result, decalitre usage tends to appear mainly in technical documents, historical contexts, or specific industrial or regional reporting, rather than in routine measurements.

Etymologically, decalitre follows the standard SI convention of combining the prefix deka- with the unit litre. The symbol for the decalitre is typically written as daL, distinguishing it from the decilitre (dL). When using decalitre measurements, it is important to maintain consistency with the chosen unit system to avoid confusion with other volume units.