Knowing how to convert between milliliters (ml) and pints is an important skill for cooks, bakers, bartenders, scientists, and others who regularly measure liquids. While the metric system using milliliters is standard across most of the world, pints are still commonly used as a unit of measurement in the United States. Understanding how to convert between the two units allows for easy switching between recipes, adjusting serving sizes, and precise measuring for experiments or data collection.
What is a Milliliter?
A milliliter (ml) is a unit of volume in the metric system. Milliliters are used to measure small amounts of liquids and gases. There are 1000 milliliters in one liter.
Some key facts about milliliters:
- The milliliter is part of the metric system which uses units based on multiples of 10.
- Milliliters allow for very precise measurements of small amounts.
- Common uses for milliliters include measuring medicine, cooking ingredients, and performing scientific experiments.
- Milliliter volumes are often represented with the ml abbreviation.
- 1 ml is equal to 1 cubic centimeter (cc).
Understanding what a milliliter measures provides important context for converting between milliliters and other units like pints. The small size of the milliliter makes it well-suited for precision work in fields like chemistry and medicine.
What is a Pint?
A pint is a unit of volume used mainly in the United States. It is equal to 16 fluid ounces. Some key facts about pints:
- There are two kinds of pints – imperial (UK) pints and US pints. A US pint is 16 oz while an imperial pint is 20 oz.
- Pints are often used to measure volumes of beer, milk, and other beverages.
- Cooking recipes in the US frequently use pint measurements for larger volumes like quarts of milk.
- Pint glasses are a common serving size for beer in bars and restaurants.
- The abbreviation for pint is “pt” and it may be labeled on measuring containers.
While not an official SI unit like the liter or milliliter, the pint remains popular in American cooking and beverage service. Understanding how it converts to metric units expands the usability of recipes and instructions using pints.
How Many Milliliters are in a Pint?
So exactly how many milliliters are there in a pint? The answer depends slightly on whether you are using an imperial pint from the UK or a US customary pint.
Milliliters in a US Pint
There are approximately 473 milliliters (ml) in one US pint. To be more precise, the conversion ratio is:
- 1 US pint = 473.176 milliliters
This conversion can be rounded to 473 ml per pint for simpler measurement and calculation.
Milliliters in an Imperial Pint
There are approximately 568 milliliters in one imperial pint from the UK. The exact conversion ratio is:
- 1 imperial pint = 568.261 milliliters
Again, this can be rounded to 568 ml per imperial pint for easier use in most situations. The imperial version contains nearly 100 ml more than the US pint due to the differences in the size of the two units.
Converting Milliliters to Pints
Converting between milliliters and pints requires simple mathematical calculations:
- To convert milliliters to US pints, divide the number of ml by 473
- To convert milliliters to imperial pints, divide the number of ml by 568
For example:
- 1000 ml divided by 473 equals 2.11 US pints
- 650 ml divided by 568 equals 1.14 imperial pints
Any volume in milliliters can be converted to pints using variations of these formulas. Handy tip: to convert milliliters to cups (another common US cooking unit) instead of pints, simply divide by 240.
Converting Pints to Milliliters
Going the other direction, converting from pints back to milliliters uses a similar process:
- To convert US pints to milliliters, multiply the number of pints by 473
- For imperial pints, multiply the number of pints by 568
Examples:
- 2 US pints x 473 = 946 ml
- 1.5 imperial pints x 568 = 852 ml
So 2 pints times the ml per US pint (473) equals 946 ml. And 1.5 imperial pints times 568 ml per imperial pint converts to 852 ml. This same method works for any number of pints by substituting the values into the multiplication formulas.
Real-World Examples Converting ml and Pints
Being able to convert between milliliters and pints allows flexibility with recipes, measurements, and container sizes. Here are some real-world examples of ml to pint conversions:
Cooking Measurements
- A recipe calls for 1 pint of heavy cream but you only have milliliter measuring tools. 1 US pint = 473 ml, so you would measure out 473 ml of cream.
- You purchased a 350 ml carton of coconut milk. How many US pints is that? 350 ml divided by 473 ml per pint equals 0.74 pints.
Beverage Servings
- A beer recipe yields 2500 ml of beer. How many imperial pint glasses could you fill? 2500 ml divided by 568 ml per imperial pint equals 4.4 glasses.
- A customer orders a 20 oz imperial pint of hard cider. 20 oz equals 568 ml, which is 1 imperial pint.
Liquid Medication Dosage
- A doctor prescribes 1 US pint of cough syrup but your measurements are in milliliters. 1 pint x 473 ml per pint equals 473 ml to take.
- You are prescribed to take 200 ml of cold medicine. What portion of a pint is that dosage? 200 ml divided by 473 ml per US pint equals 0.42 pints.
Being able to move between milliliters and pints in both directions is an invaluable skill for anyone measuring liquids regularly. With some practice, these conversions can be done easily in your head or with a calculator.
Milliliters and Pints Conversion Chart
For quick reference, here is a conversion chart showing some common volumes in milliliters and the equivalent number of pints:
| Milliliters | US Pints | Imperial Pints |
|---|---|---|
| 200 ml | 0.42 pt | 0.35 pt |
| 350 ml | 0.74 pt | 0.62 pt |
| 473 ml (1 US pint) | 1 pt | 0.84 pt |
| 568 ml (1 imperial pint) | 1.2 pt | 1 pt |
| 946 ml (2 US pints) | 2 pt | 1.7 pt |
| 3.79 L (1 US gallon) | 8 pt | 6.66 pt |
This table provides a few common milliliter and pint values for easy reference. Feel free to use it as a quick cheat sheet for your cooking, measuring, and conversion needs!
Conclusion
In summary, a US pint contains 473 ml while an imperial UK pint contains 568 ml. Converting between the units simply requires multiplying or dividing by these conversion factors. Being able to switch between milliliters and pints allows for greater flexibility with recipes, measurements, and serving sizes. The next time you encounter a liquid volume in milliliters or pints, you can easily convert between the units using the formulas and tips covered here.
