Liquid Measurement

Weigh it. Then do a S.P. test and multiply.

The question is nonsensical as 'any container' covers everything from a thimble to lake Michigan.
To get a sensible answer you need to ask a sensible question.

But generally the answer would be, for small containers pour the contents into a measuring jug, for large containers, measure the container and calculate the volume.
Del

for large containers, measure the container and calculate the volume. eg for Lake Michigan .

What is tha accuracy required for measurement? measure accurately does not signify anything.

Glasses (Tumblers) are accurate, Cups are accurate (2 cups of flour) so are tbsp (mix with 2 tbsp of molten butter) ... don't want to bake a cake with a cat lurking by.

In our chemistry labs, there were pipettes for accurate measurement, (now we have buckets and drums, and time scheduled pumps)...

I'm sure that with satelite photos and echo sounding someone could come up with some reasonable estimate/measurements for Lake Michigan.
Del

Never mind Lake Michigan. What about Rutland Water?

No.

You can measure the volume of the container, but then the liquid is not in there.

You can take the liquid out, but that's not always practical.

"Practical" is the key to your problem. You could, I suppose, fill the container with good bitter and then weigh the nearest Englishman when it's empty (having remembered to tare him first).

Dankie,

Clear and to the point; will keep you posted

Pour it into a measuring jug of course !!!!

Any container (including a dam) can be measured and the volume calculated to sufficient accuracy for the purpose.

This plastic or glass measuring cups used in kitchens all over are not that accurate either. (so watt)

Just try telling that to your missus (in a bit refined tone-

mix 200.52 gm flour with 25.73 ml of butter heated to 52^oC... and bake to 252^oC for 925 seconds -

Just attempt it and inform that plastic or glass measuring cups used in kitchens all over are not accurate enough.

_{I never had the courage}

Your missus won't mind - chances are like most women, she doesn't actually measure the ingredients - I rarely weigh the flour, sugar and butter when making basic cakes...a heaped tablespoon is close enough to an ounce and if a full back of butter is half a pound, then half of it must be 4 oz.

Cakes still take good.....

As for savoury dishes....I don't even use the tablespoon

Gas stations use a mesuring rod they stick into the liquid, The height of the liquid is visible on the stick. If you have the dimensions of the container, then becomes a mathematical equation.

For volumes of a liter or two if you have an accurate weight measuring scale like a good triple beam balance go get a gallon of distilled water at the market and let it and the container sit overnight at a steady 20 degrees C. Then weigh the container empty, fill slowly so as not to entrain air bubbles with distilled water to a predetermined "full" level and weigh it again. The difference in weight in grams is equal to the volume in milliliters.

While the idea of calculating the volume from dimensional measurements is appealing most containers that are not aaccurately machined round or flat with perfect angled corners (as the case might be) have enough variance in measurements from place to place to make for inaccuracies due to variations from the forming or molding process.

For large volumes like storage tanks probably the most accurate volume measuring method short of accurately taking many dimensional measurements is to fill it with liquid via a calibrated positive displacement water meter. Large versions of the types used for residential water metering are made and are available with suitable calibration data for a price.

Ed Weldon