Calorie to Joule Converter
Conversion Formula
Factor
Formula
Unit Description
Calorie (cal)
Definition
A calorie (cal), also called a small calorie or gram calorie, is a unit of energy equal to approximately 4.184 joules. It represents the energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius at standard atmospheric pressure.
History
The calorie was defined by French chemist Nicolas Clément in 1824 as a unit for measuring heat. It was widely used in chemistry and physics for calorimetry and thermodynamics before being largely replaced by the joule in scientific applications, though it remains in use for food energy.
Current Use
Calories are primarily used in chemistry for small-scale energy measurements, in some scientific literature, and occasionally in food and nutrition contexts. However, they've been largely replaced by joules in scientific applications and by kilocalories (food calories) in nutrition.
Joule (J)
Definition
A joule (J) is the SI base unit of energy, defined as the energy expended when applying a force of one newton through a distance of one meter. It represents the fundamental measure of energy, work, and heat in the International System of Units.
History
The joule was named after English physicist James Prescott Joule in 1889, who studied the relationship between heat and mechanical work. It was adopted as the SI unit of energy in 1960, replacing various other energy units and providing a unified measure for all forms of energy.
Current Use
Joules are universally used in scientific calculations, physics education, engineering applications, and energy measurements. They're fundamental to all energy calculations in science and engineering, from atomic-scale processes to mechanical systems, and are the basis for all other energy units.
Conversion Table
Calorie(cal) | Joule(J) |
---|---|
1 | 4.184 |
2 | 8.368 |
3 | 12.552 |
4 | 16.736 |
5 | 20.92 |
6 | 25.104 |
7 | 29.288 |
8 | 33.472 |
9 | 37.656 |
10 | 41.84 |
Conversion Examples
Convert 1 Calorie to Joule
- Conversion Factor: 1 cal = 4.184 J
- Conversion Formula: J = cal × 4.184
- Calculation: 1 cal × 4.184 = 4.184 J
Convert 10 Calorie to Joule
- Conversion Factor: 1 cal = 4.184 J
- Conversion Formula: J = cal × 4.184
- Calculation: 10 cal × 4.184 = 41.84 J
Convert 100 Calorie to Joule
- Conversion Factor: 1 cal = 4.184 J
- Conversion Formula: J = cal × 4.184
- Calculation: 100 cal × 4.184 = 418.4 J
Convert 1,000 Calorie to Joule
- Conversion Factor: 1 cal = 4.184 J
- Conversion Formula: J = cal × 4.184
- Calculation: 1,000 cal × 4.184 = 4,184 J