Ounces to Fluid Ounces Conversion Calculator

How to Convert Ounces to Fluid Ounces

By

Joe Sexton

Joe is the creator of Inch Calculator and has over 20 years of experience in engineering and construction. He holds several degrees and certifications.

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Since ounces are a unit of mass and fluid ounces are a unit of volume, which are different physical quantities, we need to know one more physical quantity of the ingredient or substance to convert between them. In this case, we need to account for the density of the substance whenever we do a conversion.

Therefore, to convert between ounces and fluid ounces of an ingredient or substance, we must either multiply or divide by its density, depending on which direction we are performing the conversion.

While they sound similar, ounces and fluid ounces are different forms of measurement. Ounces are a measure of the weight of a solid object, and fluid ounces are a measure of liquid volume.

Both units are also measured in different ways. To get a measurement in ounces, you might use a scale, while to get a measurement in fluid ounces, you might use a measuring cup to measure the volume of liquid it contains.

Although they're different, you can convert from one measurement to the other using a conversion formula.

Ounces to Fluid Ounces Formula

To convert a measurement in ounces to fluid ounces, divide the weight by the density of the ingredient or material. Note that in order for this to work, the density must be in ounces per fluid ounce (oz/fl oz).

If the density is given in grams per milliliter (g/mL), then first multiply the density by 1.0432 to convert to oz/fl oz.

For a density given in g/mL, you can use this simple formula to convert:

fluid ounces = ounces / 1.0432 × density

Thus, the volume in fluid ounces is equal to the weight in ounces divided by 1.0432 times the density (in g/mL) of the ingredient, substance, or material.

When to Convert Ounces to Fluid Ounces

Ounces and fluid ounces are both commonly used to measure cooking ingredients.

For cooking applications, most chefs suggest measuring dry ingredients by weight rather than volume to improve accuracy in the measurements.^[1] The density of dry ingredients can vary for a variety of reasons, such as compaction and clumping.

The best way to ensure an accurate conversion is to use a scale. When a scale is not available, a calculator like the one above is a good way to estimate the weight to volume conversion.

Another useful application of weight and volume conversions is chemistry. When performing chemical reactions by combining separate chemicals to produce a new chemical, one must know the exact amount of each chemical to add in order to maximize the yield of the reaction.

It is common to mix powdered chemicals with liquid, or aqueous, chemicals, and this is where it becomes very useful to convert between weights and volumes.^[2]

Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure.