milliliters

The milliliter (symbol mL or ml) is a unit of volume in the metric system. It is defined as one thousandth of a liter and is equal to the volume of a cube 1 centimeter on each side. Therefore, 1 mL equals 1 cubic centimeter (cm³).

The prefix milli- denotes a factor of 10^-3. As a result, 1 liter equals 1000 milliliters (L = 1000 mL), and 1 cubic meter equals 1000 liters (m³ = 1000 L).

Milliliters are commonly used to measure small volumes of liquids in science, medicine, cooking, and many other fields. They are read with instruments such as graduated cylinders, pipettes, burettes, syringes, and measuring cups. In medicine, dosages and liquid medicines are frequently expressed in milliliters.

Standards and usage: The liter is defined as the volume of a cubic decimeter (1 L = 1 dm³). The milliliter is derived from the liter and is widely accepted in the International System of Units (SI) as a non-SI unit with a prefix. The symbol mL (preferred) is sometimes written ml.

Temperature and density can affect the mass of a given volume; for water, 1 mL at 4°C weighs about 1 gram, while at other temperatures the mass per milliliter varies slightly due to density changes.