Calories to Joules
Convert calories to joules.
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Example
100 cal × 4.184 = 418.4 J.
How it works
A calorie is an older unit of energy, while the joule is the SI unit used in science. The factor 4.184 comes from the internationally defined relationship between these two energy units: 1 cal is exactly equal to 4.184 J. Multiplying by 4.184 converts any energy value measured in calories into the equivalent energy in joules.
When to use it
Use this when converting nutrition or chemistry energy values from calories into SI units for physics or lab work. It is also helpful in problems that compare heat, work, or energy in different unit systems.
Worked example, step by step
Convert 35 cal to joules. J = cal × 4.184 J = 35 × 4.184 J = 146.44 J Final answer: 35 cal = 146.44 J
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using 0.4184 instead of 4.184
- Confusing calories (cal) with kilocalories (kcal or "Cal")
- Dividing by 4.184 when converting from calories to joules
Did You Know?
The "Calorie" on food labels is actually a kilocalorie — 1,000 of the physicist's calories.
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