A teaspoon is a unit of volume used to measure small amounts of ingredients such as spices, oils, and vanilla extract. It is commonly used in cooking and baking and is equivalent to about 4.929 milliliters or 1/6 of a fluid ounce. In nutrition labelling, a teaspoon is defined as exactly 5 milliliters. When used for cooking or dosing medicine, a teaspoon is typically standardised to 5 milliliters.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Typical use | Stirring tea or coffee |
Other uses | Measuring volume, medicine dosing, eating ice cream, ice cream desserts or floats |
Volume range | 2.5-7.3ml |
Defined volume for cooking and medicine | 5ml |
Abbreviation | tsp. |
US volume | 4.92892159375ml |
Nutritional labelling volume | 5ml |
What You'll Learn
Teaspoon as a unit of volume
A teaspoon (tsp.) is a unit of volume used for measuring smaller amounts of liquid or granular ingredients. It is particularly useful for measuring spices, oils, or extracts, which would be impractical to weigh on a scale or measure using cups. Teaspoons are commonly used in cooking and baking and are found in both the metric and imperial systems.
The size of a teaspoon can vary, ranging from approximately 2.5 to 7.3 mL. However, in cooking and medicine, a teaspoon is typically defined as 5 mL or 5 cm3. This standard teaspoon is equal to 1/3 of a tablespoon or 1/6 of a fluid ounce.
When using teaspoons to measure dry ingredients such as salt, flour, or sugar, the volume can change depending on how the spoon is filled. A "scant" teaspoon is filled slightly less than level, while a "level" teaspoon is approximately levelled, and a "rounded" teaspoon has as much ingredient above the rim as below it. A "heaping" or "heaped" teaspoon is an inexact measure, with the spoon scooped as high as possible, resulting in up to five times the amount of a level teaspoon.
The abbreviation for teaspoon is typically "tsp" (with or without a period), though variations like "tspn" or a lowercase "t" are also used.
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Teaspoon conversions
The size of a teaspoon can vary, ranging from 2.5 to 7.3 mL. However, for cooking and dosing of medicine, a teaspoon is defined as 5 mL or 1/6 of a fluid ounce. This standard measurement is crucial for ensuring accuracy in recipes and medical prescriptions.
When converting teaspoons to other units of volume, it is important to use a conversion factor. A conversion factor is a numerical value that allows you to change the units of a measurement without altering the value itself. By multiplying the volume measurement by the appropriate conversion factor, you can easily find the equivalent value in the desired unit.
- 3/4 teaspoons = 1/4 tablespoon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons = 1/2 tablespoon
- 2 1/4 teaspoons = 3/4 tablespoon
- 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
- 6 teaspoons = 1/8 cup
- 12 teaspoons = 1/4 cup
- 24 teaspoons = 1/2 cup
- 36 teaspoons = 3/4 cup
- 48 teaspoons = 1 cup
Additionally, it's important to note that the abbreviation for teaspoon is typically "tsp" (with or without a period), although variations like "tspn" or simply "t" are also used.
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Teaspoon vs tablespoon
A teaspoon and a tablespoon are both units of volume that are used to measure smaller amounts of ingredients. They are essential in cooking and baking and are used in both the metric and imperial systems.
A teaspoon is a small spoon that can be used to stir a cup of tea or coffee, or as a tool for measuring volume. The size of teaspoons ranges from about 2.5 to 7.3 mL, but for cooking purposes, a teaspoon is defined as 5 mL.
A tablespoon is a common measuring tool used in a commercial kitchen. It is the largest spoon in a set of measuring spoons and is equal to 1/2 fluid ounce, 1/16 cup, or 3 teaspoons.
It's important to know the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon, especially when baking. A tablespoon is three times the size of a teaspoon, so using the wrong one could result in an oversalted dish or a dessert that falls flat. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of baking powder and you use 1 tablespoon by mistake, you've added three times the amount of baking powder that you should have.
To help you remember the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon, remember that the abbreviation for tablespoon has a "b" in it (Tbsp), so it's the "big" spoon in the set. On the other hand, the abbreviation for teaspoon has a "p" in it (tsp), so it's the "petite" spoon.
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Teaspoon as a culinary measure
The teaspoon is a unit of volume used in cooking and baking. It is commonly used to measure smaller amounts of ingredients such as spices, oils, and vanilla extract. In cooking and dosing medicine, a teaspoon is defined as 5ml or 1/6 of a fluid ounce. This unit of measurement is especially useful when measuring ingredients that are too small to be measured in cups and too difficult to weigh on a scale.
The teaspoon is also a piece of cutlery. It is a small spoon used for stirring and sipping tea or coffee, or adding a portion of sugar. Teaspoons can have different capacities, ranging from 2.5 to 7.3ml. This can cause issues when being used as a measuring tool, as the amount of ingredient can vary considerably depending on the size and shape of the spoon. For example, a heaped teaspoon can hold up to five times the amount of a level teaspoon. For this reason, standard measuring spoons are recommended for cooking.
Teaspoons are also used in the pharmaceutical industry, where accurate measurements are crucial. In the US, the teaspoon is defined as exactly 5ml for medicine and nutritional labelling. This differs slightly from the standard culinary measure, which is approximately 4.929ml.
The abbreviation for teaspoon is 'tsp' (or 'tsp.'). This can also be written as 't', 'ts', or 'tspn'.
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Teaspoon as a unit of weight
A teaspoon (tsp.) is a unit of volume that is used to measure small quantities of ingredients, such as spices, oils, and vanilla extract. It is commonly used in cooking and baking and is a part of both the metric and imperial systems.
The size of a teaspoon can vary, ranging from 2.5 to 7.3 mL (0.088 to 0.257 imp fl oz; 0.085 to 0.247 US fl oz). However, for cooking and dosing of medicine, a teaspoon is typically defined as 5 mL (0.18 imp fl oz; 0.17 US fl oz). This standard measurement is important to ensure accuracy, especially when measuring liquid medicine.
In the United States, the teaspoon is a customary unit of volume, and one teaspoon is equal to approximately 4.929 milliliters. For nutritional labelling and medicine, however, the teaspoon is defined as exactly 5 milliliters.
As a unit of culinary measure, the teaspoon is also used in other countries, and it is equal to 5 millilitres (mL). This standard metric teaspoon is widely used in cooking recipes and pharmaceutical prescriptions.
When using a teaspoon as a unit of measurement, it is important to distinguish between liquid and dry ingredients. For example, when measuring dry, granular, or powdered ingredients such as salt, flour, or sugar, the way the spoon is filled can change the volume of the ingredient. A "scant" teaspoon is filled slightly less than level, while a "level" teaspoon is approximately levelled, and a "rounded" teaspoon has as much ingredient above the rim as below it. A "heaping" or "heaped" teaspoon is an inexact measure where the dry ingredient is scooped up as high as possible to balance on the spoon.
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Frequently asked questions
A teaspoon is approximately 4.929 millilitres, but in nutrition labelling, it is defined as exactly 5 millilitres.
A tablespoon is three times the size of a teaspoon. One tablespoon is equal to three teaspoons.
There are 48 teaspoons in a cup.