Gigalitres to Centilitres conversion

How to convert gigalitres to centilitres?

To convert 1 gigalitre (GL) to centilitres (cL), you need to understand the relationship between these metric units of volume. Here are the steps:

1. Understand the Metric Prefixes:

   • Giga- (G) means 10^9.
   • Centi- (c) means 10^-2.

2. Base Unit Conversion:

   • 1 litre (L) = 1 litre (L)
   • 1 gigalitre (GL) = 10^9 litres (L)
   • 1 centilitre (cL) = 10^-2 litres (L)

3. Conversion Steps:

   • 1 gigalitre (GL) = $10^9$ litres (L)

   • To convert litres to centilitres: $1 \text{ litre} (L) = 100 \text{ centilitres} (cL)$

   • Therefore: $10^9 \text{ litres} \times 100 \text{ centilitres per litre} = 10^{11} \text{ centilitres} (cL)$

Therefore, 1 gigalitre is equal to $10^{11}$ centilitres.

Real World Examples of Gigalitres

1. Water Reservoirs:

   • Major reservoirs and dams store huge amounts of water. For example, the Hoover Dam in the United States has a capacity of approximately 35 gigalitres (35 GL).

2. Annual Water Consumption in Cities:

   • Large cities consume substantial volumes of water. For instance, New York City uses roughly 1.3 gigalitres of water per day for its population, which translates to nearly 474 gigalitres per year.

3. Natural Bodies of Water:

   • Large lakes and rivers contain vast amounts of water. Lake Tahoe, USA, for example, holds about 150 gigalitres of water.

4. Agricultural Water Usage:

   • Large-scale agriculture consumes significant amounts of water. The Murray-Darling Basin in Australia uses an average of around 10,000 gigalitres of water annually for irrigation and other purposes.

5. Flood Volume:

   • During major flooding events, the volume of water involved can be measured in gigalitres. For instance, the 2011 Queensland flood in Australia had an estimated flood volume of around 14,000 gigalitres.

These examples illustrate the vast capacity that gigalitres represent, making it a suitable measure for large-scale water volumes found in natural and man-made reservoirs, as well as in urban and agricultural settings.