litros

Litros, known as liters in English, are a unit of volume in the metric system. The standard symbol is L or l. One liter is defined as the volume of a cube 10 cm on each side, i.e., one cubic decimeter (1 dm3). Accordingly, 1 L equals 0.001 cubic meters and 1000 cubic centimeters (cm3). The liter is a non-SI unit, but it is accepted for use with the SI and is the most common unit for measuring liquids in everyday life and many scientific contexts.

Subunits include the milliliter (mL = 0.001 L), the centiliter (cL = 0.01 L), and the deciliter (dL = 0.1 L). In turn, 1 L equals 1000 mL, 1000 cm3, and 0.001 m3.

Historically, the liter originated in the French metric system in the late 18th century and was originally linked to the volume of a kilogram of water at its maximum density. In 1964 the CGPM defined the liter as the volume of one cubic decimeter (1 dm3), a definition that remains in use. The liter is widely used internationally for liquids, be­verages, medicines, fuels, and various scientific measurements.

Usage and terminology vary by language. The uppercase letter L is often preferred to avoid confusion with the numeral 1 or the lowercase l in technical writing. In Spanish and Portuguese, the unit is litro, with plural litros; in English, the spellings liter or litre are used, depending on regional convention. 1 L equals 1000 mL, 1000 cm3, and 0.001 m3, making it convenient for everyday and laboratory conversions.