Video Transcript
One fluid ounce is equal to
approximately 30 milliliters. A can of soda pop has a volume of
12 fluid ounces. What is the volume of a can of soda
pop in cubic meters?
We want to solve for the volume,
we’ll call it capital 𝑉, of a can of soda pop in cubic meters. We’re told that one fluid ounce is
approximately 30 milliliters and that a can of soda pop has a volume of 12 fluid
ounces. What we want to do then is take our
volume of 12 fluid ounces and convert it to some number of cubic meters.
So, we begin with our initial given
volume, 12 fluid ounces. We’re told that one fluid ounce was
equal to 30 milliliters. So, if we multiply our given volume
by that conversion factor, 30 milliliters per one fluid ounce, then we see, when we
multiply these two numbers together, the units of fluid ounces cancels out. And we’re left with units of
milliliters.
That’s a good start. But we want our final answer 𝑉 in
terms of units of cubic meters. So, now we seek for the conversion
factor between liters and cubic meters. We find that one liter is equal to
0.001 meters cubed. Or one milliliter is equal to one
times 10 to the negative sixth cubic meters. When we multiply our fraction by
this conversion ratio, we see that the units of milliliters appear in the numerator
and denominator. So, as we multiply it through, they
cancel out just like fluid ounces did.
We’re left with a result in units
of cubic meters, which is what we were seeking for. To find the value, the actual
volume, we only need now to multiply these three fractions together. When we do, we find a volume of 3.6
times 10 to the negative fourth cubic meters. That’s the volume of a can of soda
pop expressed in cubic meters.
