Cubic centimetre
Encyclopedia
A cubic centimetre (SI unit symbol: cm3; non-SI abbreviations: cc and ccm) is a commonly used unit of volume
extending the derived SI
-unit cubic metre
, and corresponds to the volume of a cube measuring 1 cm
× 1 cm × 1 cm. One cubic centimetre corresponds to a volume of of a cubic metre, or of a litre
, or one millilitre; thus, 1 cm3 ≡ 1 mL. The mass of one cubic centimetre of water
at 3.98 °C (the temperature at which it attains its maximal density) is roughly equal to one gram. Note that SI supports only the use of symbols and deprecates the use of any abbreviations for units.
In many scientific
fields, the use of cubic centimetres has been replaced by the millilitre. The medical
and automotive
fields are two of the few fields wherein the term cubic centimetre was never discontinued in the United States. Much of the automotive industry outside the U.S. has switched to using litres instead of cubic centimetres. In the United Kingdom, millilitres are used in preference to cubic centimetres in the medical field, but not the automotive. Most other English-speaking countries follow the UK example, but the use of cubic centimetres persists everywhere, especially in the automotive field.
There is currently a movement within the medical field to discontinue the use of cc in prescriptions and on medical documents as it can be mis-read as "00"; this could result in a hundredfold overdose of medication, which may be dangerous or even lethal. In the United States, such confusion accounts for 12.6% of all errors associated with medical abbreviations.
In automobile engines
, "cc" refers to the total volume of its engine displacement
in cubic centimetres. For example if the vehicle engine size is stated as 2300 cc, that would equate to 2.3 L engine size (since 1000 cc = 1 L)
Volume
Volume is the quantity of three-dimensional space enclosed by some closed boundary, for example, the space that a substance or shape occupies or contains....
extending the derived SI
International System of Units
The International System of Units is the modern form of the metric system and is generally a system of units of measurement devised around seven base units and the convenience of the number ten. The older metric system included several groups of units...
-unit cubic metre
Cubic metre
The cubic metre is the SI derived unit of volume. It is the volume of a cube with edges one metre in length. An alternative name, which allowed a different usage with metric prefixes, was the stère...
, and corresponds to the volume of a cube measuring 1 cm
Centimetre
A centimetre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one hundredth of a metre, which is the SI base unit of length. Centi is the SI prefix for a factor of . Hence a centimetre can be written as or — meaning or respectively...
× 1 cm × 1 cm. One cubic centimetre corresponds to a volume of of a cubic metre, or of a litre
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
, or one millilitre; thus, 1 cm3 ≡ 1 mL. The mass of one cubic centimetre of water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
at 3.98 °C (the temperature at which it attains its maximal density) is roughly equal to one gram. Note that SI supports only the use of symbols and deprecates the use of any abbreviations for units.
In many scientific
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
fields, the use of cubic centimetres has been replaced by the millilitre. The medical
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
and automotive
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
fields are two of the few fields wherein the term cubic centimetre was never discontinued in the United States. Much of the automotive industry outside the U.S. has switched to using litres instead of cubic centimetres. In the United Kingdom, millilitres are used in preference to cubic centimetres in the medical field, but not the automotive. Most other English-speaking countries follow the UK example, but the use of cubic centimetres persists everywhere, especially in the automotive field.
There is currently a movement within the medical field to discontinue the use of cc in prescriptions and on medical documents as it can be mis-read as "00"; this could result in a hundredfold overdose of medication, which may be dangerous or even lethal. In the United States, such confusion accounts for 12.6% of all errors associated with medical abbreviations.
In automobile engines
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
, "cc" refers to the total volume of its engine displacement
Engine displacement
Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...
in cubic centimetres. For example if the vehicle engine size is stated as 2300 cc, that would equate to 2.3 L engine size (since 1000 cc = 1 L)