Types

• In the United States, dry and liquid measurements under a pint are the same for all ingredients (liquid or dry) in recipes. For instance, a cup of milk and a cup of flour can be measured with the same measuring cup. Dry measurements are generally not used in U.S. recipes; they are reserved for things like fresh produce measured by the quart, peck or bushel. Liquid and dry measurements are technically not the same, though, so it can be confusing in conversation. Many people think of dry ingredients as a measure of weight and liquid ingredients as a measure of volume. This method is especially true of ounces and fluid ounces, with ounces measuring dry ingredients and fluid ounces measuring wet or liquid ingredients.
  
  

History

• Measurements have been changed throughout time. During the Roman Empire a pound was equal to 12 ounces, but the British changed that during the Middle Ages to 16 ounces. Americans further complicated the issue by establishing their own set of measurements and refusing to use the metric system. Colonial Americans whittled down the numerous "gallons" used in Europe to the two most popular gallons used in Britain: the dry gallon or bushel and the wet gallon or traditional British wine gallon. So far, attempts to switch the American population to use metric units has been unsuccessful, with the exception of scientific calculation.
  
  

Misconceptions

• A common misconception is that mass and volume are the same. Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, while volume is a measure of the amount of space something takes up. Even though a cup can measure two different substances, they may have very different mass or weight. Many bakers claim the best way to ensure correct measurements is by weighing ingredients rather than using cups or spoons that measure volume.
  
  

Expert Insight

• Whether cooking, baking or doing a science experiment, experts recommend using a scale. If a scale is not available, there are tricks to measuring dry and liquid ingredients. For wet ingredients, use a glass or clear plastic measure so that you can clearly see when the liquid is at the correct level. For dry ingredients use measuring spoons or cups that allow you to fill to the top and then scrape the excess off exactly.
  
  

Benefits

• With many medicines, it is easier and more accurate to use a liquid measurement than dry. Consider children's medicine, which is usually offered in a liquid form with a clear medicine dropper. This allows parents and medical professionals to measure small doses with accuracy rather than inaccurately cutting pills.