Liters ( L ) per minute and cubic meters ( m3 ) per hour are units of flow rates. While this may be a niche conversion, it is useful to learn how to convert two units at the same time. This example will show how to convert L/min to m3/hr.
Convert L/min to m3/hr Example
Question: A common household faucet has a flow rate of around 5 L/min. What is this flow rate in m3/hr?
Solution: First we need to know the two conversion factors for each set of units.
Volume: 1000 L = 1 m3
Time: 60 minutes = 1 hour
If you’d like to see how to convert L to cubic meters, the example problems How to Convert cm3 to m3 and Ladder Method. As long as you keep an eye on your unit cancellations, this method reduces the risk of casual errors.
5 L/min = 5 L/min x (volume conversion factor) x (time conversion factor)
Arrange the numerators and denominators to cancel out the unwanted units. In this case, we want to end up with m3 on top and hours on the bottom.
Cancel out the unwanted units on the right.
5 L/min = 0.3 m3/hr
Answer: The flow rate of a common household faucet is around 0.3 m3/hr.
As with any unit conversion problems, the key is to end up with the correct units. If you carefully keep track of your conversion factors and cancelling out the unwanted units, you should not encounter any difficulties.