The gigalitre (GL) is a volumetric unit equivalent to one billion litres, often used to measure water resources on a large scale. To put this into perspective, a gigalitre of water could fill approximately 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools! This unit is crucial in managing and understanding global water sources, especially in regions facing water scarcity.
Interestingly, the Snowy Mountains Scheme in Australia, one of the largest engineering projects in the world, diverts roughly 4,000 gigalitres of water annually, illustrating just how expansive the potential application of this unit can be. By using measurements like the gigalitre, governments and scientists can communicate more effectively about water reserves, helping to support sustainable water management and planning across diverse environments.
The “Glas” is an intriguing, though lesser-known, unit of volume, traditionally used in the Netherlands to measure wine and spirits. Dating back to the 1800s, one Glas was approximately equivalent to 150 milliliters, aligning closely with a standard modern wine glass. Its historical use highlights how cultures have tailored measurement systems to fit specific social practices, such as enjoying wine in communal settings, thus embodying the close relationship between cultural traditions and measurement systems.
While it has mostly fallen out of use today, the Glas provides a fascinating glimpse into historical consumption habits and the evolution of standard units. It reminds us that units of measurement are not merely mathematical constructs but are also deeply influenced by the lifestyles and practices of their time.
| Gigalitres | Glas |
|---|---|
0
Gl
|
0
glas
|
0.1
Gl
|
5e+8
glas
|
0.2
Gl
|
1e+9
glas
|
0.3
Gl
|
1.5e+9
glas
|
0.4
Gl
|
2e+9
glas
|
0.5
Gl
|
2.5e+9
glas
|
0.6
Gl
|
3e+9
glas
|
0.7
Gl
|
3.5e+9
glas
|
0.8
Gl
|
4e+9
glas
|
0.9
Gl
|
4.5e+9
glas
|
1
Gl
|
5e+9
glas
|
1.1
Gl
|
5.5e+9
glas
|
1.2
Gl
|
6e+9
glas
|
1.3
Gl
|
6.5e+9
glas
|
1.4
Gl
|
7e+9
glas
|
1.5
Gl
|
7.5e+9
glas
|
1.6
Gl
|
8e+9
glas
|
1.7
Gl
|
8.5e+9
glas
|
1.8
Gl
|
9e+9
glas
|
1.9
Gl
|
9.5e+9
glas
|
2
Gl
|
1e+10
glas
|
2.1
Gl
|
1.05e+10
glas
|
2.2
Gl
|
1.1e+10
glas
|
2.3
Gl
|
1.15e+10
glas
|
2.4
Gl
|
1.2e+10
glas
|
2.5
Gl
|
1.25e+10
glas
|
2.6
Gl
|
1.3e+10
glas
|
2.7
Gl
|
1.35e+10
glas
|
2.8
Gl
|
1.4e+10
glas
|
2.9
Gl
|
1.45e+10
glas
|
3
Gl
|
1.5e+10
glas
|
3.1
Gl
|
1.55e+10
glas
|
3.2
Gl
|
1.6e+10
glas
|
3.3
Gl
|
1.65e+10
glas
|
3.4
Gl
|
1.7e+10
glas
|
3.5
Gl
|
1.75e+10
glas
|
3.6
Gl
|
1.8e+10
glas
|
3.7
Gl
|
1.85e+10
glas
|
3.8
Gl
|
1.9e+10
glas
|
3.9
Gl
|
1.95e+10
glas
|
4
Gl
|
2e+10
glas
|
4.1
Gl
|
2.05e+10
glas
|
4.2
Gl
|
2.1e+10
glas
|
4.3
Gl
|
2.15e+10
glas
|
4.4
Gl
|
2.2e+10
glas
|
4.5
Gl
|
2.25e+10
glas
|
4.6
Gl
|
2.3e+10
glas
|
4.7
Gl
|
2.35e+10
glas
|
4.8
Gl
|
2.4e+10
glas
|
4.9
Gl
|
2.45e+10
glas
|
5
Gl
|
2.5e+10
glas
|
5.1
Gl
|
2.55e+10
glas
|
5.2
Gl
|
2.6e+10
glas
|
5.3
Gl
|
2.65e+10
glas
|
5.4
Gl
|
2.7e+10
glas
|
5.5
Gl
|
2.75e+10
glas
|
5.6
Gl
|
2.8e+10
glas
|
5.7
Gl
|
2.85e+10
glas
|
5.8
Gl
|
2.9e+10
glas
|
5.9
Gl
|
2.95e+10
glas
|
6
Gl
|
3e+10
glas
|
6.1
Gl
|
3.05e+10
glas
|
6.2
Gl
|
3.1e+10
glas
|
6.3
Gl
|
3.15e+10
glas
|
6.4
Gl
|
3.2e+10
glas
|
6.5
Gl
|
3.25e+10
glas
|
6.6
Gl
|
3.3e+10
glas
|
6.7
Gl
|
3.35e+10
glas
|
6.8
Gl
|
3.4e+10
glas
|
6.9
Gl
|
3.45e+10
glas
|
7
Gl
|
3.5e+10
glas
|
7.1
Gl
|
3.55e+10
glas
|
7.2
Gl
|
3.6e+10
glas
|
7.3
Gl
|
3.65e+10
glas
|
7.4
Gl
|
3.7e+10
glas
|
7.5
Gl
|
3.75e+10
glas
|
7.6
Gl
|
3.8e+10
glas
|
7.7
Gl
|
3.85e+10
glas
|
7.8
Gl
|
3.9e+10
glas
|
7.9
Gl
|
3.95e+10
glas
|
8
Gl
|
4e+10
glas
|
8.1
Gl
|
4.05e+10
glas
|
8.2
Gl
|
4.1e+10
glas
|
8.3
Gl
|
4.15e+10
glas
|
8.4
Gl
|
4.2e+10
glas
|
8.5
Gl
|
4.25e+10
glas
|
8.6
Gl
|
4.3e+10
glas
|
8.7
Gl
|
4.35e+10
glas
|
8.8
Gl
|
4.4e+10
glas
|
8.9
Gl
|
4.45e+10
glas
|
9
Gl
|
4.5e+10
glas
|
9.1
Gl
|
4.55e+10
glas
|
9.2
Gl
|
4.6e+10
glas
|
9.3
Gl
|
4.65e+10
glas
|
9.4
Gl
|
4.7e+10
glas
|
9.5
Gl
|
4.75e+10
glas
|
9.6
Gl
|
4.8e+10
glas
|
9.7
Gl
|
4.85e+10
glas
|
9.8
Gl
|
4.9e+10
glas
|
9.9
Gl
|
4.95e+10
glas
|
10
Gl
|
5e+10
glas
|
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