Foot-pounds per second (ft-lb/s) to Kilowatts (kW) conversion

Foot-pounds per second to Kilowatts conversion table

Foot-pounds per second (ft-lb/s)Kilowatts (kW)
00
10.001355817948841
20.002711635897682
30.004067453846523
40.005423271795364
50.006779089744205
60.008134907693046
70.009490725641888
80.01084654359073
90.01220236153957
100.01355817948841
200.02711635897682
300.04067453846523
400.05423271795364
500.06779089744205
600.08134907693046
700.09490725641888
800.1084654359073
900.1220236153957
1000.1355817948841
10001.3558179488411

How to convert foot-pounds per second to kilowatts?

Converting between foot-pounds per second (ft⋅lb/s) and kilowatts (kW) involves understanding the relationship between these units of power and applying the appropriate conversion factor.

Understanding the Conversion

The key is knowing the conversion factor between foot-pounds per second and watts, and then between watts and kilowatts. Since this is a conversion between units of power, the base (binary vs. decimal) does not affect the conversion.

Conversion Factors

  • 1 foot-pound per second (ft⋅lb/s) = 1.35582 watts (W)
  • 1 kilowatt (kW) = 1000 watts (W)

Converting Foot-Pounds per Second to Kilowatts

To convert from foot-pounds per second to kilowatts, you first convert foot-pounds per second to watts, and then convert watts to kilowatts.

  1. Convert ft⋅lb/s to Watts:

    Multiply the value in foot-pounds per second by the conversion factor 1.35582.

    Watts=Footpounds/second×1.35582Watts = Foot-pounds/second \times 1.35582

  2. Convert Watts to Kilowatts:

    Divide the value in watts by 1000 to get kilowatts.

    Kilowatts=Watts1000Kilowatts = \frac{Watts}{1000}

  3. Combined Formula:

    Combining these two steps into a single formula:

    Kilowatts=Footpounds/second×1.355821000Kilowatts = \frac{Foot-pounds/second \times 1.35582}{1000}

    Example: Convert 1 ft⋅lb/s to kW

    Kilowatts=1×1.355821000=0.00135582 kWKilowatts = \frac{1 \times 1.35582}{1000} = 0.00135582 \text{ kW}

    Therefore, 1 foot-pound per second is equal to 0.00135582 kilowatts.

Converting Kilowatts to Foot-Pounds per Second

To convert from kilowatts to foot-pounds per second, you reverse the process.

  1. Convert Kilowatts to Watts:

    Multiply the value in kilowatts by 1000 to get watts.

    Watts=Kilowatts×1000Watts = Kilowatts \times 1000

  2. Convert Watts to ft⋅lb/s:

    Divide the value in watts by 1.35582 to get foot-pounds per second.

    Footpounds/second=Watts1.35582Foot-pounds/second = \frac{Watts}{1.35582}

  3. Combined Formula:

    Combining these two steps into a single formula:

    Footpounds/second=Kilowatts×10001.35582Foot-pounds/second = \frac{Kilowatts \times 1000}{1.35582}

    Example: Convert 1 kW to ft⋅lb/s

    Footpounds/second=1×10001.35582=737.56 ft⋅lb/sFoot-pounds/second = \frac{1 \times 1000}{1.35582} = 737.56 \text{ ft⋅lb/s}

    Therefore, 1 kilowatt is equal to approximately 737.56 foot-pounds per second.

Historical Context and Notable Figures

While the foot-pound per second is a more traditional unit, James Watt, a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer, significantly contributed to the development of the steam engine and is the namesake of the watt, the SI unit of power. His work laid the foundation for understanding and measuring power, which is crucial in various engineering and scientific applications. His work with steam engines and the measurement of their power output helped standardize the concept of horsepower, which is related to foot-pounds per second. You can read more about him in wikipedia

Real-World Examples

  • Electric Motors: Converting the power of small electric motors (often rated in fractions of a horsepower, which can be converted to ft⋅lb/s) to kilowatts for energy consumption calculations.
  • Mechanical Systems: Analyzing the power output of mechanical systems like pumps or compressors, where the power might be initially calculated in ft⋅lb/s and then converted to kilowatts for comparison with electrical power sources.
  • Hydraulic Systems: Assessing the power requirements of hydraulic systems, where force and flow rate are used to determine power in ft⋅lb/s, and then converting to kilowatts for system design and energy efficiency considerations.

See below section for step by step unit conversion with formulas and explanations. Please refer to the table below for a list of all the Kilowatts to other unit conversions.

What is foot-pounds per second?

Foot-pounds per second is a unit of power, commonly used in mechanical engineering and physics, especially in the United States. It represents the amount of work done (in foot-pounds) per unit of time (in seconds). Let's break it down.

Definition of Foot-Pounds per Second

Foot-pounds per second (ft⋅lb/s) is a unit of power that expresses the rate at which work is performed. One foot-pound is the amount of energy required to raise a one-pound object a distance of one foot against gravity. Therefore, foot-pounds per second tell you how quickly that work is being done.

Understanding the Components

  • Foot-pound (ft⋅lb): This is a unit of energy or work. It's calculated as the force in pounds multiplied by the distance in feet.

    Work (ft⋅lb)=Force (lb)×Distance (ft)\text{Work (ft⋅lb)} = \text{Force (lb)} \times \text{Distance (ft)}

  • Second (s): This is the unit of time.

Combining these gives you:

Power (ft⋅lb/s)=Work (ft⋅lb)Time (s)\text{Power (ft⋅lb/s)} = \frac{\text{Work (ft⋅lb)}}{\text{Time (s)}}

Conversion to Other Units

Foot-pounds per second can be converted to other common units of power:

  • Watts (W): The standard SI unit of power.

    1 ft⋅lb/s1.35582 W1 \text{ ft⋅lb/s} \approx 1.35582 \text{ W}

  • Horsepower (hp): A common unit of power, especially for engines.

    1 hp=550 ft⋅lb/s1 \text{ hp} = 550 \text{ ft⋅lb/s}

    Therefore:

    1 ft⋅lb/s0.001818 hp1 \text{ ft⋅lb/s} \approx 0.001818 \text{ hp}

Historical Context

While there isn't a specific "law" tied directly to foot-pounds per second, the concept of power and its measurement is closely related to the work of James Watt. He improved the steam engine, and horsepower was originally defined to compare the power of steam engines to that of horses. While horsepower is more commonly associated with Watt, foot-pounds per second provides a more granular and fundamental way to express power.

Real-World Examples

  • Lifting Objects: A motor lifting a 100-pound object 5 feet in 2 seconds is doing work at a rate of:

    Power=100 lb×5 ft2 s=250 ft⋅lb/s\text{Power} = \frac{100 \text{ lb} \times 5 \text{ ft}}{2 \text{ s}} = 250 \text{ ft⋅lb/s}

  • Pumping Water: A pump lifting water 20 feet at a rate of 10 pounds per second is performing work at a rate of:

    Power=10 lb/s×20 ft=200 ft⋅lb/s\text{Power} = 10 \text{ lb/s} \times 20 \text{ ft} = 200 \text{ ft⋅lb/s}

  • Small Electric Motors: Many small electric motors are rated in terms of horsepower or watts, but you can convert those ratings to foot-pounds per second to understand the rate at which they can perform work. For example, a motor rated at 1/4 horsepower is approximately 137.5 ft⋅lb/s.

Importance

Foot-pounds per second are valuable for calculating the rate at which machines perform work, enabling engineers to design and analyze mechanical systems. Understanding this unit provides a fundamental grasp of power and its relationship to work and time.

What is kilowatts?

Let's explore the concept of kilowatts, a crucial unit for understanding power in various applications.

Understanding Kilowatts (kW)

A kilowatt (kW) is a unit of power in the International System of Units (SI). It represents 1,000 watts. Power, in physics, is the rate at which energy is transferred, used, or transformed. One watt (W) is defined as one joule per second (1 J/s). Therefore, one kilowatt is 1,000 joules per second.

1kW=1000W=1000Js1 kW = 1000 W = 1000 \frac{J}{s}

Formation of Kilowatts

The term "kilowatt" is formed by adding the prefix "kilo-" to the unit "watt." "Kilo-" is a standard prefix in the metric system that denotes a factor of 1,000.

  • Watt (W): The base unit of power, named after James Watt.
  • Kilo (k): Prefix meaning 1,000.

Thus, a kilowatt is simply 1,000 watts. This makes it easier to express larger amounts of power in a concise and manageable way.

Kilowatts and James Watt

As mentioned above Watt (W) is named after James Watt, a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution. While the kilowatt is a derived unit (1000 watts), it's directly linked to the base unit named in his honor. Watt's work on steam engines significantly contributed to our understanding and utilization of power.

Real-World Examples of Kilowatt Usage

Kilowatts are commonly used to measure the power consumption of various appliances and systems:

  • Electric Heaters: A typical electric heater might use between 1 kW and 3 kW.
  • Air Conditioners: A window air conditioner could use around 1 kW, while a central air conditioning system might use 3 kW to 5 kW or more.
  • Ovens: An electric oven can draw between 2 kW and 5 kW when in use.
  • Electric Vehicles (EVs): The power output of an EV motor is often expressed in kilowatts (e.g., 150 kW). The charging rate of an EV is also measured in kilowatts. A Level 2 charger might deliver 7 kW, while a DC fast charger could provide 50 kW or more.
  • Solar Panels: The power output of solar panels is typically rated in kilowatts. For example, a residential solar panel system might have a capacity of 5 kW to 10 kW.

Kilowatt-hour (kWh)

It's essential to differentiate between kilowatts (kW) and kilowatt-hours (kWh). Kilowatts measure power (the rate of energy use), while kilowatt-hours measure energy (the total amount of energy used over time). One kWh is the amount of energy used by a 1 kW device operating for one hour. Utility companies typically bill for energy usage in kWh.

Energy(kWh)=Power(kW)Time(hours)Energy (kWh) = Power (kW) * Time (hours)

For a deeper dive, consider exploring resources like Electrical units for detailed explanations of electrical units.

Complete Foot-pounds per second conversion table

Enter # of Foot-pounds per second
Convert 1 ft-lb/s to other unitsResult
Foot-pounds per second to Watts (ft-lb/s to W)1.3558179488411
Foot-pounds per second to Milliwatts (ft-lb/s to mW)1355.8179488411
Foot-pounds per second to Kilowatts (ft-lb/s to kW)0.001355817948841
Foot-pounds per second to Megawatts (ft-lb/s to MW)0.000001355817948841
Foot-pounds per second to Gigawatts (ft-lb/s to GW)1.3558179488411e-9
Foot-pounds per second to Horsepower (metric) (ft-lb/s to PS)0.001843399392373
Foot-pounds per second to British thermal units per second (ft-lb/s to Btu/s)0.001285067285545
Foot-pounds per second to Horsepower (British) (ft-lb/s to hp)0.001818181818182