Kilocalories to Watt-seconds conversion

Kilocalories to Watt-seconds conversion table

Kilocalories (kcal)Watt-seconds (Ws)
00
14184
28368
312552
416736
520920
625104
729288
833472
937656
1041840
2083680
30125520
40167360
50209200
60251040
70292880
80334720
90376560
100418400
10004184000

How to convert kilocalories to watt-seconds?

Certainly! The kilocalorie (often abbreviated as kcal) is a unit of energy commonly used in nutrition. It is equivalent to 1,000 calories. In the International System of Units (SI), energy is measured in joules (J). Watt-seconds are another way to express joules, since 1 watt = 1 joule/second.

Conversion from Kilocalories to Watt-seconds

1 kilocalorie is defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius.

The exact conversion factor is: 1 kilocalorie (kcal) = 4,184 joules (J)

Since 1 joule is equivalent to 1 watt-second (W⋅s), 1 kilocalorie (kcal) = 4,184 watt-seconds (W⋅s)

Real-world Examples of Kilocalories

  1. Exercise:

    • A 30-minute run at a moderate pace may burn around 300 kilocalories.
    • Converting:
      • 300 kcal × 4,184 joules/kcal = 1,255,200 joules (J) or watt-seconds (W⋅s)
  2. Food:

    • A medium-sized apple typically contains about 52 kilocalories.
    • Converting:
      • 52 kcal × 4,184 joules/kcal = 217,568 joules (J) or watt-seconds (W⋅s)
  3. Daily Caloric Intake:

    • An average daily recommended caloric intake for an adult might be around 2,000 kilocalories.
    • Converting:
      • 2,000 kcal × 4,184 joules/kcal = 8,368,000 joules (J) or watt-seconds (W⋅s)
  4. Heating:

    • Boiling a liter of water (approximately 1 kilogram) from room temperature to boiling point (100°C) uses around 100 kilocalories.
    • Converting:
      • 100 kcal × 4,184 joules/kcal = 418,400 joules (J) or watt-seconds (W⋅s)

Understanding these conversions can help in various contexts, from nutritional science to physics, as it bridges the gap between the energy content of food and the physical units of energy.

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 Watt-seconds to other unit conversions.

What is kilocalories?

Kilocalories (kcal) are a unit of energy that measures the amount of heat or energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius. In other words, it's a measure of how much energy is needed to change the state of a substance (in this case, water).

In nutrition and food science, kilocalories are used to express the energy content of foods and drinks. One kilocalorie is equal to 1000 calories (not to be confused with "Calories" which is capitalized and refers to the unit of energy specifically related to the human body). The term "kilocalorie" is often shortened to simply "calorie", but technically, it's a measure of the energy content of foods and drinks.

Here are some examples of how kilocalories are used in everyday life:

  1. Food labels: When checking nutrition labels on packaged foods, you'll see the energy content listed in kilocalories (kcal).
  2. Caloric intake: The number of kilocalories an individual consumes or burns is a measure of their caloric balance.
  3. Physical activity: The energy expended during exercise or physical activity is also measured in kilocalories.

To give you an idea of the scale, here are some approximate kilocalorie values for common foods and drinks:

  • Apple (1 medium): 95 kcal
  • Banana (1 medium): 105 kcal
  • Cup of coffee: 0-2 kcal
  • Glass of water: 0 kcal

I hope that helps you understand what kilocalories are!

What is watt-seconds?

Watt-seconds, also known as joules (J), is a unit of energy. It represents the amount of energy expended or work done when 1 watt (a unit of power) is applied for 1 second.

In essence, it measures how much "oomph" or "energy punch" is delivered in that one-second period. Think of it as a way to quantify the total energy transferred by a source (like a light bulb) over a short duration.

Complete Kilocalories conversion table

Enter # of Kilocalories
Convert 1 kcal to other unitsResult
Kilocalories to Watt-seconds (kcal to Ws)4184
Kilocalories to Watt-minutes (kcal to Wm)69.733333333333
Kilocalories to Watt-hours (kcal to Wh)1.1622222222222
Kilocalories to Milliwatt-hours (kcal to mWh)1162.2222222222
Kilocalories to Kilowatt-hours (kcal to kWh)0.001162222222222
Kilocalories to Megawatt-hours (kcal to MWh)0.000001162222222222
Kilocalories to Gigawatt-hours (kcal to GWh)1.1622222222222e-9
Kilocalories to Joules (kcal to J)4184
Kilocalories to Kilojoules (kcal to kJ)4.184
Kilocalories to Megajoules (kcal to MJ)0.004184
Kilocalories to Gigajoules (kcal to GJ)0.000004184
Kilocalories to calories (kcal to cal)1000