4 quarts is equivalent to 4 liters or 1 gallon. This is a common unit of measurement used in cooking and baking recipes in the United States.
What is a quart?
A quart is an imperial and U.S. customary unit of volume. It is equal to a quarter of a gallon or two pints. One quart is exactly 0.946352946 liters. The word “quart” comes from the Old French word “quarte” meaning a quarter.
Here are some key facts about quarts:
- 1 quart = 0.946352946 liters
- 1 quart = 57.75 cubic inches
- 1 quart = 32 fluid ounces
- 1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups
- 1 gallon = 4 quarts
Quarts are commonly used to measure volumes of liquids in cooking, automotive mechanics, and many other applications.
Converting between quarts, liters, and gallons
Here are some common conversions between quarts, liters, and gallons:
- 1 quart = 0.946352946 liters
- 1 liter = 1.05669 quarts
- 1 gallon = 4 quarts = 3.78541 liters
- 1 liter = 0.26417 gallons
To convert between these units:
- To convert quarts to liters, multiply quarts by 0.946353
- To convert liters to quarts, multiply liters by 1.05669
- To convert quarts to gallons, divide quarts by 4
- To convert gallons to quarts, multiply gallons by 4
So for example:
- 4 quarts x 0.946353 = 3.7854 liters
- 3 liters x 1.05669 = 3.17 quarts
- 8 quarts / 4 = 2 gallons
- 5 gallons x 4 = 20 quarts
Common uses for quarts
Here are some of the most common uses for quarts in everyday life:
Cooking and baking
Quarts are commonly used in cooking and baking recipes in the United States. For example:
- 1 quart = 4 cups
- Many recipes call for ingredients in cup measurements, where 4 cups equals 1 quart
- Liquids like milk, water, oil, etc are often measured in quarts or fractions of quarts
- Recipe serving sizes may be given in quarts, like “serves 4 quarts”
Drink containers
Quart-sized containers are popular for drinks like:
- Milk
- Juice
- Water
- Sports drinks
These are handy portions for drinking over periods like breakfast, lunch, or through a sports game.
Automotive uses
In automotive mechanics, quarts are used to measure capacities like:
- Engine oil
- Transmission fluid
- Coolant
- Brake fluid
- Power steering fluid
So you may add 2 quarts of oil when changing your engine oil, for example.
Canning jars
Quart sized glass jars are popularly used for home canning of foods like:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Salsas
- Jams
The quart size allows canning of fruits and vegetables in handy serving sizes.
Visualizing a quart
To help visualize just how big a quart is, here are some examples of containers with approximately quart capacities:
| Container | Capacity |
|---|---|
| Milk/juice carton | 32 oz = 1 quart |
| Canning jar | 32 oz = 1 quart |
| Tall drinking glass | ~26-34 oz |
| Water bottle | 32 oz = 1 quart |
| Cereal bowl | ~32 oz |
As you can see, many common food and drink containers have about a quart capacity. Next time you use one of these containers, picture that it equals 4 cups or 32 fluid ounces.
What does 4 quarts look like?
So what does 4 quarts look like? Here are some ways to visualize a total of 4 quarts:
- 4 quart-sized milk or juice containers
- 4 quart-sized canning jars
- 1 gallon jug
- 16 cups
- 128 fluid ounces
- About 3.8 liters
Here is a photo showing 4 quart-sized containers together:
As you can see, 4 quart-sized containers like milk or juice cartons represent a fairly large total volume – but it may not seem like a huge amount visually. That’s because each individual quart-sized container is a common shape we see everyday.
Typical uses for 4 quarts
Here are some of the most common uses for a total quantity of 4 quarts:
Cooking and baking
- Doubling a recipe that serves 2 quarts
- Most recipes for a 9×13″ baking pan
- Recipes that serve 8-12 people
- A large food storage container
Drinks
- 4 people’s milk for breakfast
- Juice for a family for 1-2 days
- Water for a family hike or outing
- Sports drinks for a team
Automotive
- A full oil change for a car with a 4 quart capacity
- Two rounds of topping off fluids that are low
FAQs about 4 quarts
How many cups are in 4 quarts?
There are 16 cups in 4 quarts. Since 1 quart = 4 cups, if you have 4 quarts total, multiply that by 4 cups per quart to get 16 cups total.
How many pints are in 4 quarts?
There are 8 pints in 4 quarts. Since 1 quart = 2 pints, if you have 4 quarts, multiplying by 2 pints per quart gives you 8 pints total.
How many ounces are in 4 quarts?
There are 128 fluid ounces (oz) in 4 quarts. Since 1 quart = 32 fluid oz, multiplying 4 quarts by 32 oz per quart gives 128 oz total.
How many milliliters are in 4 quarts?
There are approximately 3785 milliliters (mL) in 4 quarts. Since 1 quart = 946 mL, if you multiply 4 quarts by 946 mL per quart, you get 3784 mL total when rounded.
How many gallons are in 4 quarts?
There is 1 gallon (gal) in 4 quarts. Because 4 quarts = 1 gallon, 4 quarts equates to a full gallon.
When would you use 4 quarts?
Here are some examples of when you might commonly use 4 quarts of a food or liquid:
- Cooking larger recipes: Doubling a recipe, making a meal for a large gathering, making a large batch of freezer meals.
- Canning foods: Filling 4 quart-sized jars when canning fruits, vegetables, salsas, etc.
- Juice/milk for family: Having enough juice or milk on hand for a family of 4 for 1-2 days.
- Automotive uses: Changing oil for vehicle that takes 4 quarts, topping off multiple automotive fluids.
- Sports drinks: Bringing water/sports drink for a sports team with about 4+ players.
Summary
In summary:
- 4 quarts is equal to 1 gallon or approximately 3.8 liters.
- A quart is used to measure volumes of liquids, especially in cooking/baking, drinks, and automotive uses.
- 4 quarts is a common quantity for larger recipe yields, canning foods, family drinks for 1-2 days, oil changes, and team sports drinks.
- Visually, 4 quarts looks like 4 milk/juice cartons or quart-sized jars.
Knowing how big 4 quarts is can help with planning recipes, grocery shopping, automotive maintenance, and other everyday tasks. Next time you see a 4 quart quantity, visualize 4 cartons of milk – now you have a good sense of just how big that size is!
