Oz. and FL. Oz. are two units belonging to different systems of measurement. Since they have quite similar names, it can be difficult to tell them apart.
Moreover, most people use them interchangeably, which only adds to the confusion. However, there are several key differences between them that may help clear the matter.
Key Takeaways
- Oz is a unit of weight measurement and is equal to 28.35 grams.
- Fl oz is a unit of volume measurement equal to 29.57 milliliters.
- Oz is used to measure the weight of solid objects, while fl oz is used to measure the volume of liquid substances.
Oz. vs Fl. Oz.
Oz is an acronym that stands for ounce, and it is the scientific unit that is used to measure mass or weight of an object, mostly solid substances. Fl. Oz. is an acronym that means fluid ounce, and it is the scientific unit that is used to measure the capacity or volume of different liquids.
An Oz. is part of a system of measurement for physical quantities. This means that it can only be used to measure solid substances.
It is most commonly adopted in the United States, to measure the weight of packaged foods and food portions in recipes. However, the unit is also sometimes used in other English-speaking nations, including the United Kingdom.
An Fl. Oz. is part of a different system of measurement for liquids. It can only be used to measure the volume of fluid substances or capacities.
However, it has different definitions according to the Americans and the British. Americans used the United States Customary unit, during the British used British Imperial Unit.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Oz. | Fl. Oz. |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Form | The full form of Oz. is ‘Ounce’. | The full form of Fl. Oz. is ‘Fluid Ounce’. |
| Meaning | It is a unit of measurement for physical quantities. | It is a unit of measurement for volume or capacity. |
| Criterion | It can only measure solid substances. | It can only measure fluids. |
| Definitions | The unit is the same in the US and the UK. | The unit has different definitions in the US and the UK. |
| Usage | It is commonly used in the US to measure the weight of packaged foods and food portions in recipes. | It is used in the US and UK to measure the volume of water, wines, beverages, and other liquids. |
What is Oz.?
Oz. is the full form for ‘Ounce’ which is a unit of measurement for mass or weight. It was derived from the ancient Roman unit of measurement called ‘Uncia’.
People in the United States use this most commonly to measure food portions and packaged foods. Other uses include the density of the fabric, postal items and even boxing gloves.
Apart from the US, the rest of the English-speaking world may also use this unit. However, it is not as common. Regardless, the quantity that each unit represents remains the same.
When converted to other systems, the quantity changes. For example, 1 ounce is the equivalent of 28.35 grams (approx.)
In earlier times, different places used different varieties of the unit at different times. A popular one is the ‘troy ounce‘, which measures approximately 31 grams.
It was used to calculate the mass of metals, including gold, platinum, silver, rhodium, etc. However, this version of an ounce is not operative nowadays.
Another example of a variation is the metric ounce. Several countries around the world have adopted this system. For example, the Dutch ounce weighs approximately 100 grams.
The exact measurement is also used in Indonesia as it is taught in the Government school syllabus.
What is Fl. Oz.?
Fl. Oz. is the acronym for ‘Fluid Ounce’. As the name suggests, the unit is used to measure volume and capacity. This can only be done for liquid substances such as water, wine, beverages and other fluids.
People use this term interchangeably with ‘ounce’. However, this only creates confusion.
The unit has different definitions in the US and UK. The United States customary fluid ounce is the equivalent of 29.57 ml.
On the other hand, the British Imperial Fluid Ounce measures to be 28.41 ml. It can be inferred that the US version is 4.08% greater than the British version.
In the US customary system, one cup can be filled using 8 fluid ounces, while a pint consists of 16 fluid ounces. On the other hand, an imperial pint consists of 20 fluid ounces.
Interestingly, a cup could be filled with milk as well as sugar. So, it doesn’t really matter what the content is. Rather, a fluid ounce is used to measure the capacity of the cup.
However, this does create some confusion. While milk can fill up all the corners and crevices of the cup, sugar cannot. There would still be some space between the granules that is left unmeasured.
Therefore, unlike common American usage, weighing solid substances using ounces instead of a fluid ounce is always better.
Main Differences Between Oz. and Fl. Oz.
- The full form of Oz. is ‘Ounce’ whereas the full form of Fl. Oz. is ‘Fluid Ounce’.
- Oz. is a unit of measurement for physical quantities, whereas Fl. Oz. is a unit of measurement for volume or capacities.
- Oz. can only measure solid substances, whereas Fl. Oz. can only measure fluids.
- The quantity of Oz. is the same in the US and the UK, whereas Fl. Oz. has different definitions in the US and the UK.
- Oz. is commonly used in the US to measure the weight of packaged foods and food portions in recipes, whereas Fl. Oz. is used in the US and UK to measure the volume of water, wines, beverages, and other liquids.
- https://search.proquest.com/openview/8ae77701efe81e6d48738dd992a6d038/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=40146
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224065.1982.11978803
Last Updated : 11 June, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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