mL to mg Conversion (Milliliters to Milligrams)
Enter the volume in milliliters below to calculate the weight in milligrams.
Result: Milligrams
Do you want to convert milligrams to milliliters?
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How to Convert Milliliters to Milligrams
Since milliliters are a unit of volume and milligrams are a unit of mass, which are different physical quantities, we need to know one more physical quantity of the ingredient or substance to convert between them. In this case, we need to account for the density of the substance whenever we do a conversion.
Therefore, to convert between milliliters and milligrams of an ingredient or substance, we must either multiply or divide by its density, depending on which direction we are performing the conversion.
Milliliters to Milligrams Formula
To convert a measurement in milliliters to milligrams, multiply the volume by the density of the ingredient or material. Note that in order for this to work, the density must be in milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL).
If the density is given in grams per milliliter (g/mL), then first multiply the density by 1,000 to convert to mg/mL.
For a density given in g/mL, you can use this simple formula to convert:
milligrams = milliliters × 1,000 × density
Thus, the weight in milligrams is equal to the volume in milliliters multiplied by 1,000 times the density (in g/mL) of the ingredient, substance, or material.
For example, here's how to convert 5 milliliters to milligrams for an ingredient with a density of 0.7 g/mL.
milligrams = 5 mL × 1,000 × 0.7 g/mL = 3,500 mg
How Many Milligrams Are in a Milliliter?
The actual weight of a milliliter will vary depending on the material's density. The conversion table below shows how many milligrams of various wet and dry ingredients are in a milliliter.
| Volume in Milliliters: | Weight in Milligrams of: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Milk | Cooking Oil | All Purpose Flour | Granulated Sugar | |
| 1 mL | 1,000 mg | 1,030 mg | 880 mg | 529 mg | 845.35 mg |
| 2 mL | 2,000 mg | 2,060 mg | 1,760 mg | 1,058 mg | 1,691 mg |
| 3 mL | 3,000 mg | 3,090 mg | 2,640 mg | 1,587 mg | 2,536 mg |
| 4 mL | 4,000 mg | 4,120 mg | 3,520 mg | 2,116 mg | 3,381 mg |
| 5 mL | 5,000 mg | 5,150 mg | 4,400 mg | 2,645 mg | 4,227 mg |
| 6 mL | 6,000 mg | 6,180 mg | 5,280 mg | 3,174 mg | 5,072 mg |
| 7 mL | 7,000 mg | 7,210 mg | 6,160 mg | 3,703 mg | 5,917 mg |
| 8 mL | 8,000 mg | 8,240 mg | 7,040 mg | 4,232 mg | 6,763 mg |
| 9 mL | 9,000 mg | 9,270 mg | 7,920 mg | 4,761 mg | 7,608 mg |
| 10 mL | 10,000 mg | 10,300 mg | 8,800 mg | 5,290 mg | 8,454 mg |
| 11 mL | 11,000 mg | 11,330 mg | 9,680 mg | 5,819 mg | 9,299 mg |
| 12 mL | 12,000 mg | 12,360 mg | 10,560 mg | 6,348 mg | 10,144 mg |
| 13 mL | 13,000 mg | 13,390 mg | 11,440 mg | 6,877 mg | 10,990 mg |
| 14 mL | 14,000 mg | 14,420 mg | 12,320 mg | 7,406 mg | 11,835 mg |
| 15 mL | 15,000 mg | 15,450 mg | 13,200 mg | 7,935 mg | 12,680 mg |
| 16 mL | 16,000 mg | 16,480 mg | 14,080 mg | 8,464 mg | 13,526 mg |
| 17 mL | 17,000 mg | 17,510 mg | 14,960 mg | 8,993 mg | 14,371 mg |
| 18 mL | 18,000 mg | 18,540 mg | 15,840 mg | 9,522 mg | 15,216 mg |
| 19 mL | 19,000 mg | 19,570 mg | 16,720 mg | 10,051 mg | 16,062 mg |
| 20 mL | 20,000 mg | 20,600 mg | 17,600 mg | 10,580 mg | 16,907 mg |
When to Convert Milliliters to Milligrams
Milliliters and milligrams are both commonly used to measure cooking ingredients.
For medical applications, prescribed drug dosages are often specified by weight in milligrams. Doctors and pharmacists often need to convert a medication dosage to the appropriate liquid suspension as a volume in milliliters.
For cooking applications, most chefs suggest measuring dry ingredients by weight rather than volume to improve accuracy in the measurements.[1] The density of dry ingredients can vary for a variety of reasons, such as compaction and clumping.
The best way to ensure an accurate conversion is to use a scale. When a scale is not available, a calculator like the one above is a good way to estimate the volume to weight conversion.
Another useful application of weight and volume conversions is chemistry. When performing chemical reactions by combining separate chemicals to produce a new chemical, one must know the exact amount of each chemical to add in order to maximize the yield of the reaction.
It is common to mix powdered chemicals with liquid, or aqueous, chemicals, and this is where it becomes very useful to convert between weights and volumes.[2]
Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure.
What Is a Milliliter?
The milliliter is a unit of volume equal to 1 cubic centimeter, 1/1,000 of a liter, or about 0.061 cubic inches.[3]
The milliliter is an SI unit of volume in the metric system. In the metric system, "milli" is the prefix for thousandths, or 10-3. A milliliter is sometimes also referred to as a millilitre. Milliliters can be abbreviated as mL, and are also sometimes abbreviated as ml or mℓ. For example, 1 milliliter can be written as 1 mL, 1 ml, or 1 mℓ.
Since one milliliter is equivalent to one cubic centimeter, milliliters are sometimes expressed using the abbreviation for a cubic centimeter (cc) for things such as medical dosages or engine displacements.
Learn more about milliliters.
What Is a Milligram?
The milligram is a unit of mass equal to 1/1,000 of a gram, or 0.0154 grains.
The milligram, or milligramme, is an SI unit of mass in the metric system. In the metric system, "milli" is the prefix for thousandths, or 10-3. Milligrams can be abbreviated as mg; for example, 1 milligram can be written as 1 mg.
A milligram is also frequently referred to as a unit of weight. While technically, a milligram is a measure of mass, and weight is actually a measure of force, the two are equivalent as long as we are performing our calculations on Earth.
For example, an object with a mass of 1 milligram weighs 1 milligram on Earth, but only weighs one-sixth of that on the moon, yet still has the same mass.
Learn more about milligrams.
References
- National Institute of Standards & Technology, Culinary Measurement Tips, https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/culinary-measurement-tips
- CK-12 Foundation, Introductory Chemistry (CK-12) - 12.6: Mass-Volume Stoichiometry, https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemistry_(CK-12)/12%3A_Stoichiometry/12.06%3A_Mass-Volume_Stoichiometry
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices, Handbook 44 - 2019 Edition, https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/hb/2019/NIST.HB.44-2019.pdf