What is a Cubic Yard?

A cubic yard (cu yd) is the volume of a cube with dimensions of one yard each (1 yard = 3 feet = 0.9144 meters). In simpler terms, 1 cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet or 0.76 cubic meters.

What does “Ton” Mean?

The term “ton” can refer to a short ton (common in the US), a long ton (common in the UK), or a metric ton. A metric ton is precisely 1000 kilograms, a US ton weighs around 907.185 kilograms, and a long ton weighs about 1016.047 kilograms.

Conversion Formula: Cubic Yards to Tons

To convert volume to mass, you can use the formula: mass = density × volume. For cubic yards to tons conversion:

  • For metric tons: mass = density (in metric tons per cubic yard) × volume (in cubic yards).
  • For US tons: mass = density (in US tons per cubic yard) × volume.
  • For imperial tons: mass = density (in imperial tons per cubic yard) × volume.

How to Use the Converter

  1. Choose the substance category (e.g., Metals).
  2. Select the specific substance (e.g., Mercury) from the dropdown.
  3. Ensure the unit for mass is set to metric tons.
  4. Enter the mass value (e.g., 2) and get the volume in cubic yards (e.g., 0.1931 cu yd).

Example Problem: Topsoil

Question: How many tons are 15 cubic yards of topsoil?

  1. The standard density of topsoil is 1600 kg/m3.
  2. Enter 1600 as the density and 15 as the volume.
  3. The answer is 18.35 metric tons of topsoil.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How many cubic yards is 3 tons of rock?
    • Density of rock: 1.5 short tons per cubic yard.
    • Calculation: 3 tons × 1.5 tons/cubic yard = 4.5 cubic yards.
  2. Are short tons the same as metric tons?
    • No. A short ton (US ton) is about 907.185 kg, while a metric ton (tonne) is 1000 kg.
  3. How to convert metric tons to US tons?
    • Multiply metric tons by 1.10231 (e.g., 3 t = 3 × 1.10231 = 3.307 short tons).
  4. How to convert metric tons to long tons?
    • Multiply metric tons by 0.984207 (e.g., 3 t = 3 × 0.984207 = 2.9526 long tons).
  5. How to convert cubic yards to metric tons?
    • Multiply cubic yards by 0.76 to get cubic meters, then multiply by substance density in kg/m3, and finally divide by 1000 for metric tons.

Enjoy easy cubic feet calculations with our user-friendly calculator!