How Heavy Is a Cubic Meter of Water?
a Cubic Meter of Water weighs about
1,000 kg (2,200 lb)
Computed value (volume × density); the inputs are cited under Sources below.
Using a log scale so small objects stay visible — the numbers stay real.
- an African elephant4,500 kg
adult male 4,500–6,100 kg; adult female 2,000–3,500 kg
- an average new car1,980 kg
model year 2024 US fleet average curb weight
- a cubic meter of water1,000 kg
1 cubic metre (1 000 L) of pure water at 4 °C
- a bowling ball7.26 kg
heaviest ball allowed in tenpin bowling (16 lb); USBC sets no minimum weight
- You
Open full comparison → to add more objects on one scale.
Put it in perspective
- About 2.0× an average new car
- About 4.5× an African elephant
- About 140× a bowling ball
Why weights differ
Volume is exact (1 m3 = 1 000 L per NIST); the small shortfall from 1 000 kg comes from water density at 4 °C being 0.9998395 g/ml rather than exactly 1.
Sources
[1] National Institute of Standards and Technology
NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9: Factors for units listed by kind of quantity or field of scienceStandard body
“liter (L) 19 cubic meter (m 3 ) 1.0 E-03”
Value as published: 1 liter (L) = 1.0E-03 m3 · accessed 2026-11-11.
[2] U.S. Geological Survey
Water DensityGovernment agency
“the exact density of water is not really 1 g/ml, but rather a bit less (very, very little less), at 0.9998395 g/ml at 4.0° Celsius”
Value as published: 0.9998395 g/ml at 4.0 °C · accessed 2026-11-11.
How this value was computed
- volume-l: 1000 L — 来源 [1] (source [1])
- density-kg-per-l: 0.9998395 kg/L — 来源 [2] (source [2])
Last updated 2026-11-11.Report a correction (please include a source link).
Related objects
- 5 gallons of water18.9 kg (41.7 lb)
- a watermelon4.52 kg (9.96 lb)
- a gallon of milk3.9 kg (8.61 lb)
- a gallon of water3.78 kg (8.34 lb)
- a 5 lb bag of flour2.268 kg (5 lb)
- a liter of water1 kg (2.2 lb)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic meter of water weigh?
a Cubic Meter of Water weighs about 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) — 1 cubic metre (1 000 L) of pure water at 4 °C.
How much is a cubic meter of water in pounds and ounces?
2,200 lb, which is 35,300 oz. In metric terms: 1,000 kg.
Is a cubic meter of water heavier than an average new car?
No. a Cubic Meter of Water weighs about 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), while an average new car is about 4,350 lb (1,980 kg) — roughly 1/1.98.
Why do sources give different weights?
Volume is exact (1 m3 = 1 000 L per NIST); the small shortfall from 1 000 kg comes from water density at 4 °C being 0.9998395 g/ml rather than exactly 1.
Where does this number come from?
Every source is listed at the bottom of this page with publisher, link, access date and a verbatim quote. Numbers are only published when a qualifying source can be verified.