Convert US gallons to liters (1 gal = 3.78541 L). Essential for fuel economy, beverage industry, and chemical processing. Includes UK gallon differences.
1 gallon equals 3.785412534257983 liter
Formula: L = gal × 3.78541
The gallon to liter conversion is crucial for anyone working between American and metric volume measurements. With the US gallon equaling 3.78541 liters, this conversion impacts everything from comparing fuel prices internationally to scaling industrial processes and understanding product labels across borders.
In our interconnected world, gallons and liters create daily confusion. Americans buy gas by the gallon while most of the world uses liters. Chemical plants designed in the US must convert specifications for global markets. Even simple tasks like following international recipes or comparing fuel efficiency (MPG vs L/100km) require this conversion. With billions of gallons of fuel, beverages, and chemicals traded globally, accurate conversion prevents costly errors and ensures fair pricing.
Fuel is sold by the gallon in the US but by the liter everywhere else. Understanding this conversion is essential for comparing fuel prices, calculating consumption, and converting between MPG and L/100km.
The beverage industry straddles both systems. American beverages use gallons and fluid ounces, while global distribution requires metric labeling. Breweries, dairies, and beverage manufacturers constantly convert between systems.
Chemical processing requires precise volume conversions. Safety data sheets, shipping documents, and process specifications must often show both gallons and liters to meet international requirements.
gallons | liters |
---|---|
1 gal | 3.785413 L |
10 gal | 37.854125 L |
25 gal | 94.635313 L |
50 gal | 189.270627 L |
100 gal | 378.541253 L |
Formula: L = gal × conversion factor
The gallon is a widely used unit for measuring volume. It is commonly used in various applications and industries worldwide.
The liter is a widely used unit for measuring volume. It is commonly used in various applications and industries worldwide.
This gallon to liter converter uses high-precision conversion factors to ensure accurate results for professional and academic use.
Our calculator provides results with up to 10 decimal places for maximum accuracy.
Historical accident. The US kept the 1706 British wine gallon (231 cubic inches) after independence. Britain changed to the larger imperial gallon (277.42 cubic inches) in 1824 to simplify their system - making it exactly 10 pounds of water. By then, the US was independent and didn't adopt the change.
Divide the per-gallon price by 3.8 for a quick per-liter estimate. For example, $3.80/gallon ÷ 3.8 = $1.00/liter. For exact conversion, divide by 3.78541. To go from liters to gallons, multiply by 3.8.
Usually US gallons, but always verify. Shipping documents should specify 'US gal' or 'Imperial gal'. When in doubt, use liters - they're unambiguous. Many international forms now require both units to prevent confusion.
These are inverse relationships. For US MPG to L/100km: divide 235.215 by MPG. For example, 30 MPG = 235.215 ÷ 30 = 7.84 L/100km. For UK MPG, use 282.481 instead. Note that higher MPG means lower L/100km.
American recipes use US gallons. British recipes traditionally used imperial gallons but now mostly use liters. Australian and Canadian recipes from before metrication might use imperial gallons. When unsure, check other measurements in the recipe for context.
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