Converting between teaspoons (tsp) and milliliters (mL) comes in handy all the time, especially when you’re cooking or measuring out medicine. Accurate conversions are super important to make sure your recipes turn out right and you get the right medication dosage.
Generally, 1 teaspoon equals about 5 milliliters (mL). This article will break down the teaspoon to milliliter conversion in detail, with conversion factors, handy charts, and some real-world examples.
Decoding Teaspoons and Milliliters
When you’re following a recipe, it’s helpful to know a little about the units of measure.
What is a teaspoon?
A teaspoon (tsp) is a unit of volume you’ll often see in recipes, especially in the US. Keep in mind that the precise volume of a teaspoon can vary.
- US teaspoon = 5 mL
- Imperial teaspoon = 6 mL
That’s a 20% difference, so if you’re doing a lot of cooking, it might be a good idea to buy a set of measuring spoons to ensure accuracy.
What is a milliliter?
A milliliter (mL) is a metric unit of volume that’s equal to one cubic centimeter (cc). Milliliters are often used to measure liquids, especially in science and medicine, and they’re part of the metric system.
Teaspoon to Milliliter Conversion: The Basics
If you’re trying to follow a recipe or measure a dose of medication, it’s helpful to know how to convert teaspoons to milliliters.
The Conversion Factor: 1 Teaspoon to Milliliters
The standard conversion factor is that 1 U.S. teaspoon is approximately 5 milliliters (mL). To be exact, one U.S. teaspoon equals 4.928922 mL. A metric teaspoon, on the other hand, is exactly 5 mL.
Manual Conversion: How to Convert Teaspoons to Milliliters
To convert teaspoons to milliliters, multiply the number of teaspoons by 5 (or by 4.928922 for greater accuracy).
Here’s the formula: mL = tsp x 5 (or mL = tsp x 4.928922 if you want to be more precise).
For example, if you want to convert 2 teaspoons to milliliters, you’d multiply 2 tsp x 5 mL/tsp, which equals 10 mL.
Common Teaspoon to Milliliter Conversions
Here’s a handy list of common conversions for quick reference:
- 1/8 tsp = 0.625 mL
- 1/4 tsp = 1.25 mL
- 1/2 tsp = 2.5 mL
- 3/4 tsp = 3.75 mL
- 1 tsp = 5 mL
- 1.5 tsp = 7.5 mL
- 2 tsp = 10 mL
Precise measurements are especially important in baking and when measuring medicine. Even small variations can significantly alter a recipe or the effectiveness of a medication.
Luckily, many online converters and conversion charts can simplify the process and reduce the chances of errors. Just search online for “teaspoon to milliliter converter.”
Converting Milliliters to Teaspoons
If you need to convert milliliters to teaspoons, you would divide the number of milliliters by 5. For a more precise measurement using US teaspoons, divide the milliliters by 4.928922.
The formula is:
tsp = mL / 5 (or tsp = mL / 4.928922 for US tsp)
Keep in mind that this conversion is approximate. Standard measuring spoons don’t typically allow for precise measurements of partial teaspoons. For example, converting 1 mL to teaspoons results in a fraction; the closest you could get with standard measuring spoons is 1/8 teaspoon.
In Conclusion
So, a teaspoon is about 5 milliliters. Keep in mind that there are slight differences depending on whether you’re using a U.S. or Imperial teaspoon.
For accurate measurements, especially when you’re cooking, baking, or measuring medicine, it’s important to understand the conversion and use precise measuring tools.
When in doubt, use a conversion chart or an online tool to quickly and easily convert between teaspoons and milliliters.