Gill (unit) facts for kids
The gill (pronounced like the girl's name Jill) is a special way to measure how much space something takes up, also known as its volume. Think of it like a small cup or container. It's equal to a quarter (1/4) of a pint, which is another unit you might know from milk cartons or ice cream. While people used to use the gill often, it's not very common today.
What is a Gill?
A gill is a unit used to measure volume. Volume tells you how much space a liquid or a gas takes up. Imagine filling a glass with water; the amount of water inside is its volume. The gill is a smaller unit, often used for liquids like spirits or milk in the past.
How Big is a Gill?
The size of a gill can be a little different depending on where you are!
- In the imperial system (used in places like the United Kingdom):
- One imperial gill is equal to 5 imperial fluid ounces.
- This is about 142 millilitres (ml). To help you imagine, a small juice box is usually around 200 ml, so a gill is a bit less than that.
- In the U.S. customary system (used in the United States):
- One U.S. gill is equal to 4 U.S. fluid ounces.
- This is about 118 millilitres (ml). So, a U.S. gill is slightly smaller than an imperial gill.
Why Don't We Use Gills Much Anymore?
Over time, many countries have switched to the metric system for measuring things. The metric system uses units like litres and millilitres, which are often easier to work with because they are based on tens. Because of this, older units like the gill are not used as often in everyday life or in cooking recipes today. However, you might still find it mentioned in old books or historical recipes!
See also
In Spanish: Gill (unidad de volumen) para niños
