Specific Volume Converter

Convert specific volume between m³/kg, cm³/g, L/kg, ft³/lb, and other specific volume units with scientific precision.

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Specific Volume Units Explained

Cubic Meter/Kilogram (m³/kg)

The SI unit of specific volume. It represents the volume occupied by one kilogram of a substance. v = V / m.

Common uses: Thermodynamic tables, steam tables, gas properties, international standards.

Cubic Centimeter/Gram (cm³/g)

Specific volume in CGS units. 1 cm³/g = 0.001 m³/kg. Commonly used in chemistry and material science.

Note: Water has a specific volume of approximately 1 cm³/g at 4°C.

Liter/Kilogram (L/kg)

Specific volume using liters and kilograms. 1 L/kg = 0.001 m³/kg. Used in engineering calculations.

Common uses: Fluid properties, HVAC calculations, material density conversions.

Cubic Foot/Pound (ft³/lb)

Specific volume in US customary units. 1 ft³/lb ≈ 0.0624 m³/kg. Common in US engineering.

Common uses: US HVAC design, steam tables in US format, American engineering standards.

Specific Volume Definition

Specific volume is the inverse of density and represents volume per unit mass: v = V / m = 1 / ρ

  • v: Specific volume (m³/kg)
  • V: Total volume (m³)
  • m: Mass (kilogram)
  • ρ: Density (kg/m³)

Relationship to Density

Specific volume and density are reciprocal properties:

  • Specific volume = 1 / Density
  • Example: Water with density 1000 kg/m³ has specific volume 0.001 m³/kg or 1 L/kg
  • Air at STP: density 1.20 kg/m³, specific volume 0.833 m³/kg
  • Steam (100°C, 1 atm): density 0.598 kg/m³, specific volume 1.673 m³/kg

Applications in Thermodynamics

Specific volume is critical in thermodynamic calculations:

  • Steam tables: Used with temperature and pressure to find other properties
  • Ideal gas law: P × v = R × T (specific form)
  • Compressibility: Measures how volume changes with pressure
  • Quality factor: For two-phase mixtures (liquid + vapor)
  • Enthalpy calculations: h = u + P × v

Temperature and Pressure Dependence

Specific volume varies significantly with conditions:

  • Liquids: Relatively incompressible, small changes with pressure and temperature
  • Gases: Highly compressible, large changes with pressure and temperature
  • Two-phase region: Specific volume increases dramatically during phase change
  • Temperature effect: Heating usually increases specific volume (expansion)
  • Pressure effect: Increasing pressure usually decreases specific volume (compression)

Important: Always reference temperature and pressure when using specific volume data.

Typical Specific Volume Values (at 20°C, 1 atm)

  • Water (liquid): 0.001 m³/kg = 1 L/kg = 1 cm³/g
  • Ice: 0.00109 m³/kg (expands when freezing)
  • Air: 0.833 m³/kg
  • Aluminum (solid): 0.00037 m³/kg
  • Iron (solid): 0.000128 m³/kg
  • Mercury (liquid): 0.0000735 m³/kg
  • Water vapor (100°C, 1 atm): 1.673 m³/kg

Common Applications

Specific volume is essential in:

  • HVAC Systems: Air and refrigerant properties, duct sizing
  • Power Generation: Steam turbine design, throttling calculations
  • Chemical Engineering: Process design, pipe sizing, fluid flow
  • Materials Science: Density determination, purity analysis
  • Thermodynamic Cycles: Rankine, Brayton, Otto cycle analysis
  • Compressor Design: Volume flow calculations, compression ratio
  • Refrigeration Systems: Saturation properties, superheating

Quality Factor in Two-Phase Regions

For mixtures of liquid and vapor:

  • Quality (x): Mass fraction of vapor = m_vapor / m_total (0 ≤ x ≤ 1)
  • Specific volume: v = v_f + x×v_fg where v_fg = v_g - v_f
  • Two-phase region: Specific volume increases dramatically from liquid to vapor
  • Critical point: Liquid and vapor specific volumes become equal