Horsepower to Milliwatt Converter

Horsepower (hp) is a unit of power originally defined as the power needed to lift 550 pounds one foot in one second, approximately equal to 746 watts. It was created to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses.

Horsepower was defined by James Watt around 1782 to market his steam engines by comparing their output to the familiar power of horses. It became the standard unit for mechanical power in English-speaking countries and remains widely used despite the adoption of SI units.

Horsepower is extensively used in automotive engines, mechanical equipment, and motor specifications. It's standard for car engine ratings, industrial machinery, pumps, and mechanical power transmission systems, particularly in the United States.

A milliwatt (mW) is a unit of power equal to one thousandth of a watt (0.001 W). It represents very small amounts of power typically found in electronic devices, sensors, and low-power applications.

The milliwatt became important with the development of electronics and semiconductor technology. It provided an appropriate scale for describing the power consumption of transistors, integrated circuits, and electronic devices where power efficiency was crucial.

Milliwatts are used in electronics for component power ratings, laser output specifications, radio frequency applications, and low-power device design. They're standard for electronic component specifications, sensor power consumption, and precision instruments.