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Mass & density calculator

Volume is only half the story — add a material density to estimate the weight of a solid or filled cylinder in kg and pounds.

You cannot get weight from size alone, and this mass & density calculator is honest about that: pick a material or type in its density, and the tool combines it with the cylinder's volume to estimate the mass.

How to work it out

  1. Measure across the circular end — the diameter or radius.
  2. If you measured the diameter, halve it to get the radius r.
  3. Square the radius and multiply by π to get the base area.
  4. Multiply the base area by the height h: V = π r² h.
  5. Convert the result into your preferred unit above.

Worked example. Take a cylinder with a diameter of 10 cm (so a radius of 5 cm) and a height of 25 cm. The base area is π × 5² = 78.54 cm², and multiplying by the height gives a volume of about 1.96 litres (1,963 cm³ · 0.52 US gallons).

Weight depends entirely on the material's density, which the tool needs as an input. Densities also vary with temperature and grade, so treat the mass as an estimate.

Every mass & density page

Each page below targets a specific question and opens with the calculator ready to go:

Good to know

How do I calculate the mass of a cylinder?
Multiply the volume by the material's density: mass = ρ × V. Water is about 997 kg/m³; steel is about 7850 kg/m³. Pick a material or enter a custom density above.
Can I get weight from dimensions alone?
No — two cylinders of the same size can weigh very differently depending on the material. Density is essential, which is why the calculator asks for it.

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