Convert Quarts to Liters

Quart

Definition: A quart (symbol: qt) is a unit of volume in the United States customary and imperial systems of measurement. In the US, there are two types of quarts: the liquid quart (equal to 32 fluid ounces or 0.946 liters) and the dry quart (equal to 1.101 liters). The imperial quart is equal to 1.136 liters.

History/origin: The quart originated in medieval England as a unit of measurement for various liquids. Its name is derived from the Old French word "quarte," meaning "a fourth," as it was initially defined as one-fourth of a gallon. Over time, the definition of the quart varied, leading to the different values used in the US and imperial systems today.

Current use: In the US, the liquid quart is commonly used for measuring liquids like milk, juice, and other beverages. Dry quarts are used for measuring certain types of food, such as fruits and grains. The imperial quart is used in some Commonwealth countries.

Liter

Definition: A liter (symbol: L or l) is a metric unit of volume. It is defined as 1 cubic decimeter (dm³), which is equal to 1000 cubic centimeters (cm³) or 0.001 cubic meters (m³).

History/origin: The liter was introduced in France in 1795 as one of the new "republican units of measurement" defined by the French Academy of Sciences. The original definition was based on the volume of a kilogram of pure water at the temperature of melting ice (0°C). The word "liter" comes from the old French unit "litron," which was derived from Greek and Latin measures.

The spelling "liter" is predominantly used in American English, while "litre" is preferred in most other English-speaking countries. In 1964, the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) reintroduced the liter as a special name for the cubic decimeter, making it officially a non-SI unit accepted for use with the SI.

Current use: The liter is widely used worldwide for measuring liquids in everyday life. It's commonly used for beverages, fuel, household products, and many other applications. Smaller volumes are measured in milliliters (mL), with 1,000 milliliters equaling 1 liter. Larger volumes might be expressed in kiloliters (kL), with 1 kiloliter equaling 1,000 liters.