Editing Cooking weights and measures (section)

==Weight of liquids==
With the advent of accurate electronic scales, it has become more common to weigh liquids for use in recipes, avoiding the need for accurate volumetric utensils.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Scott, Alan |author2=Daniel Wing |title=The Bread Builders: Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens |publisher=Chelsea Green Publishing Company |year=1999 |page=30 |quote=Weight is more convenient and accurate than volume for measuring ingredients and is universally used in bakeries.  Electronic scales can be set back to zero after each ingredient is added.... |isbn=1-890132-05-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VA6y1EMnkpYC&pg=PA6 |access-date=2010-12-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author1=Griffin, Mary Annarose |author2=Gisslen, Wayne |title=Professional baking |edition=Fourth |publisher=John Wiley |location=New York |year=2005 |page=6 |quote=Volume measure is often used when scaling water for small or medium-sized batches of bread.  Results are generally good.  However, whenever accuracy is critical, it is better to weigh. |isbn=0-471-46427-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YrQZi41PqKEC&pg=PA6 |access-date=2010-12-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author1=Rees, Nicole |author2=Amendola, Joseph |title=The baker's manual: 150 master formulas for baking |publisher=J. Wiley |location=London |year=2003 |page=11 |quote=Weighing the water and other liquids like milk also ensures accuracy, especially when increasing batch sizes. |isbn=0-471-40525-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yz0mF7pXZ38C&pg=PA11 |access-date=2010-12-15}}</ref> The most common liquids used in cooking are [[water]] and [[milk]], milk having approximately the same density as water.

1 mL of water weighs 1&nbsp;gram so a recipe calling for 300 mL (≈ {{frac|1|2}} Imperial Pint) of water can simply be substituted with 300 g (≈ 10 oz.) of water.

1 fluid ounce of water weighs approximately 1 ounce so a recipe calling for a UK pint (20 fl oz) of water can be substituted with 20 oz of water.

More accurate measurements become important in the large volumes used in commercial food production. Also, a home cook can use greater precision at times. Water at {{convert|4.0|°C|°F}} may be volumetrically measured then weighed to determine an unknown measuring-utensil volume<ref>{{cite book |author=C.A. Street |title=Flour Confectionery Manufacture |publisher=Wiley-Interscience |location=New York |year=1997 |page=146 |isbn=0-471-19817-X |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uA3zkmK9RP4C&pg=PA146 |access-date=2011-04-28 |quote=The volume of the cup can be measured by filling it with water at 4°C (39°F) and weighing.  At this temperature, the weight of water in grams will equal the volume of the cup in millilitres.}}</ref> without the need for a water-density adjustment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/javascript/water-density.html |title=Water Density Calculator}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Density of common ingredients, very roughly
|-
! Ingredient !! Density (g/mL<!--= g/cm<sup>3</sup> = kg/L = t/m<sup>3</sup> --> or av.oz./fl.oz.)
|-
! [[Sugar]]
| 0.8
|-
! [[Flour]]
| 0.7
|-
! [[Salt]]
| 1.2
|-
! [[Butter]]
| 0.9
|}