Energy Converter.

J
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kJ
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Reference Table

J kJ cal kcal Wh kWh BTU eV
10.0010.23900573610.00023900570.00027777782.777778e-70.00094781346.242197e+18
100.012.3900570.00239005740.00277777780.00000277780.00947813396.242197e+19
1000.123.9005740.02390057360.02777777780.00002777780.09478133946.242197e+20
10001239.0057360.23900573610.27777777780.00027777780.94781339456.242197e+21
10000102390.05742.3900572.7777780.00277777789.4781346.242197e+22
10000010023900.573623.90057427.7777780.027777777894.7813396.242197e+23
10000001000239005.7361239.005736277.7777780.2777777778947.8133946.242197e+24

Units in this converter

J Joule
kJ Kilojoule
1 J = 0.001 kJ
cal Calorie
1 J = 0.23900574 cal
kcal Kilocalorie
1 J = 0.00023901 kcal
Wh Watt-hour
1 J = 0.00027778 Wh
kWh Kilowatt-hour
1 J = 2.7778e-7 kWh
BTU BTU
1 J = 0.00094781 BTU
eV Electronvolt
1 J = 6.2422e+18 eV

Understanding energy conversion

An energy converter changes a quantity of energy or work from one unit into another — kilocalories to kilojoules, kilowatt-hours to megajoules, or BTU to watt-hours. It is used for reading nutrition labels, understanding electricity bills, sizing heating and cooling equipment, and physics work. This tool covers joules, kilojoules, calories, kilocalories, watt-hours, kilowatt-hours, BTU and electronvolts.

The formula. Every value passes through one base unit, the joule. The factors are 1 kJ = 1,000 J, 1 calorie = 4.184 J, 1 kilocalorie = 4,184 J, 1 Wh = 3,600 J, 1 kWh = 3,600,000 J, 1 BTU = 1,055.06 J and 1 eV = 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ J. Watch the food-label trap: the "calories" printed on nutrition labels are really kilocalories, so a 250-calorie snack is 250 kcal, not 250 cal.

Worked example. A 2,000 kcal daily diet is 2,000 × 4,184 = 8,368,000 J, which is 8,368 kJ or 2.32 kWh — roughly the electricity a small fridge uses in a day. In the other direction, a 1.5 kW heater running for two hours consumes 3 kWh = 10,800,000 J, and a 12,000 BTU air-conditioner moves 12,000 × 1,055.06 ≈ 12.66 MJ of heat per hour.

Where it's used. Energy conversion links things that rarely appear together: nutrition labels use kcal in the US and India but kJ in Australia and much of Europe, electricity meters bill in kWh, heating and air-conditioning capacity is rated in BTU or kW, and physics and chemistry work in joules with electronvolts reserved for atomic-scale energies. Converting between them turns an abstract number into something comparable.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Are food calories the same as calories in physics?
No — and this is the most common energy mix-up. The "calories" on a nutrition label are kilocalories (kcal), each worth 1,000 scientific calories or 4,184 joules. So a 250-calorie snack contains 250 kcal, which is 1,046 kJ.
How do I convert kcal to kJ?
Multiply kilocalories by 4.184. A 2,000 kcal daily intake is 8,368 kJ. Nutrition labels in Australia and much of Europe print kJ, while the US and India print kcal, so this is the conversion for comparing packaging across markets.
How many joules are in a kilowatt-hour?
One kWh is 3,600,000 joules (3.6 MJ), because a watt is one joule per second and an hour is 3,600 seconds. Electricity is billed in kWh, so a 2 kW heater running for 90 minutes uses 3 kWh, or 10.8 MJ.
What is a BTU and where is it used?
A British Thermal Unit is 1,055.06 joules — the energy needed to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Air-conditioners and heaters are commonly rated in BTU per hour; a 12,000 BTU/h unit is about 3.5 kW of cooling capacity.

Tips

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