Capacity
Full and Empty - Understanding Capacity
What is Capacity?
Capacity is how much a container can hold. It tells us how much liquid (water, juice, milk) can fit inside.
What Does "Full" Mean?
A container is full when it cannot hold any more liquid. There is no space left inside.
What Does "Empty" Mean?
A container is empty when it has no liquid inside. There is nothing in it.
Describing How Full a Container Is:
| Word | Meaning | Picture Description |
|---|---|---|
| **Empty** | Nothing inside | Glass with no water |
| **Half full** | Half the container has liquid | Glass filled halfway |
| **Almost full** | Mostly full, a little space left | Glass with very little space at top |
| **Full** | Completely filled | Glass filled to the very top |
Real-Life Examples:
- A full water bottle means you cannot add more water
- An empty juice box means all the juice is drunk
- A half-full cup means half the cup has water, half is empty
Look at the glass. It has water up to the very top. Is it full, empty, or half full?
- Water reaches the very top edge
- No space left to add more water
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Answer: Full **Example 2:** The juice box has no juice left. How do we describe it? *Solution:* - There is nothing inside - No liquid at all - **Answer:** Empty **Example 3:** Sam's water bottle is filled halfway. Is it full, empty, or half full? *Solution:* - Half of the bottle has water - Half of the bottle is empty - **Answer:** Half full
Key Points
- Capacity means how much a container can hold
- Full = completely filled (no space left)
- Empty = nothing inside
- Half full = filled halfway
- We describe containers by how much liquid they have
Comparing Containers - More and Less Capacity
What Does "More Capacity" Mean?
A container with more capacity can hold more liquid than another container. It is bigger inside.
What Does "Less Capacity" Mean?
A container with less capacity can hold less liquid than another container. It is smaller inside.
Comparing Two Containers:
| Comparison | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **More than** | Holds more | Bucket holds more than a cup |
| **Less than** | Holds less | Cup holds less than a bucket |
| **Same as** | Holds equal amount | Two identical glasses |
How to Compare Containers:
1. Look at the size of each container
2. Think about which one looks bigger
3. Fill one and pour into the other to check
4. The container that overflows holds less
5. The container with leftover space holds more
Real-Life Comparisons:
- A water tank has more capacity than a bucket
- A cup has less capacity than a jug
- Two same-sized bottles have the same capacity
Which holds more: a bathtub or a bucket?
- A bathtub is much bigger than a bucket
- It can hold much more water
-
Answer: Bathtub **Example 2:** Which holds less: a spoon or a cup? *Solution:* - A spoon is very small - A cup is much larger - A spoon holds less than a cup - **Answer:** Spoon **Example 3:** Riya has two bottles of the same size. Do they have the same capacity? *Solution:* - Both bottles are identical - Same size means same capacity - **Answer:** Yes, they have the same capacity
Key Points
- More capacity = holds more liquid
- Less capacity = holds less liquid
- Bigger containers usually have more capacity
- Smaller containers usually have less capacity
- Same-sized containers have equal capacity
Introduction to Litres
What is a Litre?
A litre (L) is a unit we use to measure capacity. It tells us exactly how much liquid a container can hold.
Common Litre Measurements:
| Amount | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| 1 litre (1 L) | A large carton of milk |
| 2 litres (2 L) | A big soda bottle |
| 500 millilitres (500 mL) | Half of 1 litre (a small water bottle) |
Note: 1 litre = 1000 millilitres
Everyday Items Measured in Litres:
| Item | Approximate Capacity |
|---|---|
| Water bottle | 500 mL (half litre) |
| Milk carton | 1 litre |
| Soda bottle | 2 litres |
| Cooking pot | 3-5 litres |
| Bathtub | 100-200 litres |
Comparing Capacities Using Litres:
| Container | Capacity | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Teacup | 0.25 L (250 mL) | Holds less than 1 L |
| Water bottle | 0.5 L (500 mL) | Holds less than 1 L |
| Milk carton | 1 L | Holds exactly 1 L |
| Soda bottle | 2 L | Holds more than 1 L |
| Large bucket | 10 L | Holds much more than 1 L |
A milk carton has "1 L" written on it. What does L stand for?
- L stands for litre
- It tells us the carton holds 1 litre of milk
-
Answer: Litre **Example 2:** Which holds more: a 2 L soda bottle or a 1 L milk carton? *Solution:* - 2 L is greater than 1 L - Soda bottle holds 2 litres - Milk carton holds 1 litre - **Answer:** 2 L soda bottle holds more **Example 3:** How many 1 L milk cartons would fill a 5 L bucket? *Solution:* - 1 L + 1 L + 1 L + 1 L + 1 L = 5 L - You need 5 cartons of milk - **Answer:** 5 cartons
Key Points
- Litre (L) is a unit for measuring capacity
- 1 litre = 1000 millilitres (mL)
- Milk cartons often hold 1 L
- Soda bottles often hold 2 L
- Larger numbers of litres = more capacity