How to use the Cylinder Volume Calculator
Enter the radius of the base and the height in the same unit.
The cylinder volume formula
Find the area of the circular base (πr²) and multiply by the height. A can with a 5 cm radius and 10 cm height holds π × 25 × 10 ≈ 785.4 cm³.
From volume to litres
1,000 cubic centimetres make 1 litre, and 1 cubic metre is 1,000 litres. A water tank with a 0.5 m radius and 1.2 m height holds π × 0.25 × 1.2 ≈ 0.94 m³, or about 940 litres.
The formula
V = π × r² × h
Examples
- Radius 5, height 10
Volume: 785.3981634
- Radius 30, height 90 (a barrel in cm)
Volume: 254,469.00494077
- Radius 2.5, height 12
Volume: 235.61944902
Cylinder volume examples
| Radius × height | Volume |
|---|---|
| 1 × 1 | 3.1416 |
| 2 × 5 | 62.8319 |
| 3 × 10 | 282.7433 |
| 5 × 10 | 785.3982 |
| 10 × 10 | 3,141.5927 |
| 10 × 20 | 6,283.1853 |
| 15 × 30 | 21,205.7504 |
| 25 × 100 | 196,349.5408 |
Limitations and assumptions
Both values must use the same unit. The volume comes back in that unit cubed.
Frequently asked questions
How much water does a cylindrical tank hold?
Work out the volume in cubic metres and multiply by 1,000 for litres, or in cubic feet and multiply by about 7.48 for US gallons.
What if I only know the diameter?
Halve it to get the radius before entering it.
How do I find a pipe’s capacity?
Use the inner radius, not the outer one, and the pipe length as the height.