Tablespoons to Ounces Conversion Calculator
Enter the volume in tablespoons below to calculate the weight in ounces.
Result: Ounces
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How to Convert Tablespoons to Ounces
Since tablespoons are a unit of volume and ounces are a unit of mass, 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 tablespoons and ounces of an ingredient or substance, we must either multiply or divide by its density, depending on which direction we are performing the conversion.
Tablespoons to Ounces Formula
To convert a measurement in tablespoons to ounces, multiply the volume by the density of the ingredient, substance, or material. Note that in order for this to work, the density must be in ounces per tablespoon (oz/tbsp).
If the density is given in grams per milliliter (g/mL), then first divide the density by 1.9172 to convert to oz/tbsp.
For a density given in g/mL, you can use this simple formula to convert:
ounces = tablespoons × density / 1.9172
Thus, the weight in ounces is equal to the volume in tablespoons times the density (in g/mL) of the ingredient or material divided by 1.9172.
For example, here's how to convert 5 tablespoons to ounces for an ingredient with a density of 0.7 g/mL.
ounces = 5 tbsp × 0.7 g/mL / 1.9172 = 1.8256 oz
This formula is for converting to ounces in weight, if you're trying to convert to a volume measurement in fluid ounces, try our tablespoons to fluid ounces calculator.
When to Convert Tablespoons to Ounces
Tablespoons and 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 volume to weight conversion.
For cooking and baking ingredients, you can get more specific results using our butter, flour, and sugar conversion calculators.
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.
What Is a Tablespoon?
A tablespoon is a unit of volume equal to three teaspoons or ½ fluid ounce.[3] One tablespoon is equal to 14.7868 milliliters, but for nutrition labeling, one tablespoon is rounded to 15 milliliters.[4]
The tablespoon is a US customary unit of volume. Tablespoons can be abbreviated as tbsp, and are also sometimes abbreviated as T, Tbls, or Tb. For example, 1 tablespoon can be written as 1 tbsp, 1 T, 1 Tbls, or 1 Tb.
Learn more about tablespoons.
What Is an Ounce?
One ounce is a unit of mass/weight equal to 1/16 of a pound or 28.349523 grams. The common ounce should not be confused with the troy ounce, which is equal to 1/12 of a troy pound.[5]
The ounce is a US customary and imperial unit of mass. Ounces can be abbreviated as oz; for example, 1 ounce can be written as 1 oz.
An ounce is also frequently referred to as a unit of weight. While technically, an ounce is a measure of mass, and weight is actually a measure of force, the two are equivalent as long as we are performing our calculations on Earth.
For example, an object with a mass of 1 ounce weighs 1 ounce on Earth, but only weighs one-sixth of that on the moon, yet still has the same mass.
Learn more about ounces.
Tablespoon to Ounce Conversion Table
| Volume in Tablespoons: | Weight in Ounces of: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Milk | Cooking Oil | All Purpose Flour | Granulated Sugar | |
| 1 tbsp | 0.521588 oz | 0.537235 oz | 0.458997 oz | 0.27592 oz | 0.440924 oz |
| 2 tbsp | 1.0432 oz | 1.0745 oz | 0.917994 oz | 0.55184 oz | 0.881848 oz |
| 3 tbsp | 1.5648 oz | 1.6117 oz | 1.377 oz | 0.82776 oz | 1.3228 oz |
| 4 tbsp | 2.0864 oz | 2.1489 oz | 1.836 oz | 1.1037 oz | 1.7637 oz |
| 5 tbsp | 2.6079 oz | 2.6862 oz | 2.295 oz | 1.3796 oz | 2.2046 oz |
| 6 tbsp | 3.1295 oz | 3.2234 oz | 2.754 oz | 1.6555 oz | 2.6455 oz |
| 7 tbsp | 3.6511 oz | 3.7606 oz | 3.213 oz | 1.9314 oz | 3.0865 oz |
| 8 tbsp | 4.1727 oz | 4.2979 oz | 3.672 oz | 2.2074 oz | 3.5274 oz |
| 9 tbsp | 4.6943 oz | 4.8351 oz | 4.131 oz | 2.4833 oz | 3.9683 oz |
| 10 tbsp | 5.2159 oz | 5.3724 oz | 4.59 oz | 2.7592 oz | 4.4092 oz |
References
- National Institute of Standards & Technology, Culinary Measurement Tips, https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/culinary-measurement-tips
- CK-12 Foundation, Introductory Chemistry (CK-12) - 12.6: Mass-Volume Stoichiometry, https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemistry_(CK-12)/12%3A_Stoichiometry/12.06%3A_Mass-Volume_Stoichiometry
- Merriam-Webster, tablespoon, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tablespoon
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Guidance for Industry: Guidelines for Determining Metric Equivalents of Household Measures, https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-guidelines-determining-metric-equivalents-household-measures
- James Bucki, Troy Ounce vs. Ounce, The Spruce, https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/troy-ounce-vs-ounce-4588158