Volume of a cylinder
The volume of a cylinder may be calculated by measuring both the height and the diameter of the cylinder in centimeters. Then you divide the diameter by two to get the radius. Square the radius, multiply by 3.14, and then multiply by the height. This gives you volume in centimeters cubed.
The beaker is useful in measuring volume and for transferring liquids from the stock bottle to another piece of glassware. This 250 ml beaker has marks every 25 ml. You could estimate a number between these marks, but it will not be very precise.
The graduated cylinder is used to measure liquids with much more precision than the beaker. If you need to find the volume of something, you could fill it with water, pour the water into a beaker to transfer it to the graduated cylinder and then measure it with the graduated cylinder.
Remember you will read the bottom of the meniscus when reading the graduated cylinder. For example this reading should be read using the lines between the 8 and 9, they go by two's. So this is 8.8 ml. You could estimate one more place after the decimal and put 8.80 ml and that would be fine. That last number is obviously an estimate and may vary from person to person.
Don't forget you must be eye level with the meniscus to read it! You may watch the cool video under the video tab and listen to the guy sing about reading the graduated cylinder if you would like to... you know you want to!
Below from left to right you will see a graduated cylinder, two Erlenmeyer flasks, a volumetric flask, and a beaker. The Erlenmeyer flasks are used to mix chemicals, and the volumetric flask is used to make standardized solutions.