NCERT Revision Notes for Class 5 Maths Chapter 8: Weight and Capacity – Free PDF Download

Chapter 8 of Class 5 Maths, Weight and Capacity, covers measuring how heavy something is (weight/mass) and how much a container can hold (capacity), using standard units, conversions, and word problems involving both.

Key Concepts

Units of Weight

Weight is measured in grams (g) and kilograms (kg), where 1,000 g = 1 kg. Very light objects (a coin, a few grains of rice) are measured in grams; heavier objects (a bag of rice, a person) are measured in kilograms.

Units of Capacity

Capacity is measured in millilitres (mL) and litres (L), where 1,000 mL = 1 L. Small quantities of liquid (a spoon of medicine, a small bottle) are measured in mL; larger quantities (a bucket of water, a can of oil) are measured in litres.

Converting Between Units

As with length, converting a bigger unit to a smaller one means multiplying by 1,000 (2 kg = 2,000 g; 3 L = 3,000 mL), and converting a smaller unit to a bigger one means dividing by 1,000 (1,500 g = 1.5 kg; 750 mL = 0.75 L).

Adding and Subtracting Weights and Capacities

Weights or capacities in the same unit can be added or subtracted directly, like whole numbers, but when units differ, convert to a common unit first. Adding 1 kg 250 g and 750 g: convert 1 kg 250 g to 1,250 g, then add 1,250 g + 750 g = 2,000 g = 2 kg.

Word Problems on Weight and Capacity

Real-life problems often combine buying, using, or sharing quantities of weight or capacity – total weight of several bags, capacity remaining in a tank after some is used, or how many small bottles can be filled from one large container.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Converting kg to g

Convert 3.25 kg to grams.
3.25 × 1,000 = 3,250 g.

Example 2: Adding Weights

A shopping bag has 2 kg 500 g of rice and 1 kg 750 g of sugar. Find the total weight.
Convert both to grams: 2,500 g + 1,750 g = 4,250 g = 4 kg 250 g.

Example 3: Dividing Capacity

A 5-litre container of juice is poured equally into 10 glasses. How much juice does each glass get?
5 L = 5,000 mL. 5,000 ÷ 10 = 500 mL per glass.

Quick Recap

• Weight units: 1,000 g = 1 kg. Capacity units: 1,000 mL = 1 L.
• Convert bigger to smaller units by multiplying by 1,000; smaller to bigger by dividing by 1,000.
• Always convert to the same unit before adding, subtracting, or comparing weights or capacities.
• Choose grams/millilitres for small quantities, kilograms/litres for larger ones.
• Division problems (sharing a total capacity equally) are common in this chapter’s word problems.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Adding weights or capacities in mixed units directly without converting first (2 kg + 500 g is NOT 502; it is 2,500 g).
• Confusing weight units (g, kg) with capacity units (mL, L) – they measure different things (heaviness vs. how much liquid fits).
• Forgetting to convert the final answer back to a sensible unit (kg instead of a very large number of grams).
• Misplacing the decimal point when converting, such as writing 3.25 kg as 325 g instead of 3,250 g.
• Dividing a total capacity by the wrong number of parts in a sharing word problem.

Home Practice Tips

• Check the weight labels on grocery packets at home (rice, flour, sugar) and practise converting between grams and kilograms.
• Measure water using a measuring cup or bottle and compare millilitres to litres.
• Add up the total weight of a few grocery items using their package labels.
• Pour a known capacity (like 1 litre) equally into several cups and calculate how much each cup should hold.
• Use a kitchen weighing scale, if available, to weigh a few household items and record them in both grams and kilograms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the difference between weight and capacity?
Weight measures how heavy an object is (using grams and kilograms), while capacity measures how much liquid or space a container can hold (using millilitres and litres) – they measure different properties and use different units.

Q2. Why is 1,000 the conversion number for both weight and capacity units?
Because the metric system is designed so that all its units scale by powers of ten, making 1,000 the standard jump between the base unit (gram, litre) and its “kilo” version, just like with length (metre to kilometre).

Q3. How do I add two weights given in kilograms and grams together?
Convert both weights fully into grams (or both fully into kilograms with decimals) first, then add the numbers, and convert the final answer back to a sensible combined form if needed.

Q4. Why do recipes sometimes use grams and sometimes kilograms?
Smaller quantities like spices are easier to express precisely in grams, while larger quantities like flour for a big batch are more conveniently expressed in kilograms.

Q5. What’s a good way to check if a weight or capacity answer makes sense?
Compare it to a familiar reference – a standard water bottle is about 1 litre, and a small bag of sugar is often about 1 kilogram – so an answer wildly different from such references is worth rechecking.

Full walkthrough: Chapter 8 Solutions · Extra Questions.

Written by Satish

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