Jugs and Mugs - Concept of Capacity

Capacity is the measure of how much liquid a container can hold. For example, if you fill a bucket with water, the amount of water it holds when full is its capacity. Visualize a large bucket holding more water than a small mug to understand that different containers have different capacities.

The standard units used to measure capacity are Litres (written as $l$) and Millilitres (written as $ml$). Imagine a standard $1$ litre milk packet as a base unit and compare it to a tiny $5 ml$ medicine spoon used for small doses.

The relationship between the units is $1 l = 1000 ml$. You can visualize this by imagining ten small $100 ml$ cups being poured into a single $1 l$ jug; it takes all ten to fill the jug to the top.

Measuring capacity is often done using containers like graduated cylinders or measuring jars that have horizontal marks on their sides. These marks look like a ruler drawn on a cup, showing specific levels such as $100 ml$, $200 ml$, and $500 ml$.

To compare the capacity of two different-looking containers, like a tall thin vase and a short wide bowl, you can pour liquid from one into a measuring jar. This helps you see that shape does not always determine capacity.

Estimation is an important skill for everyday life. A standard tea cup holds about $150 ml$, a small bottle of water is usually $500 ml$, and a large bucket used for bathing holds about $15 l$ to $20 l$.

When we combine liquids from different containers, we add their capacities. For instance, if you pour $250 ml$ of orange juice and $250 ml$ of apple juice into a large pitcher, the pitcher will contain a total of $500 ml$ of mixed juice.