Lake Michigan is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, and its volume is quite substantial. It is estimated that Lake Michigan holds approximately 4,918 cubic kilometers of water. To convert this volume into gallons, we can use the conversion factor that 1 cubic kilometer is equivalent to about 264.172 billion gallons.
Doing the math, we multiply:
4,918 cubic kilometers × 264.172 billion gallons/cubic kilometer = approximately 1,300,000,000,000,000 gallons, or 1.3 quadrillion gallons.
This massive volume emphasizes the significance of Lake Michigan not only as a major natural resource but also as an essential ecosystem.