Watt-hours to calories conversion

Watt-hours to calories conversion table

Watt-hours (Wh)calories (cal)
00
1860.4206500956
21720.8413001912
32581.2619502868
43441.6826003824
54302.103250478
65162.5239005736
76022.9445506692
86883.3652007648
97743.7858508604
108604.206500956
2017208.413001912
3025812.619502868
4034416.826003824
5043021.03250478
6051625.239005736
7060229.445506692
8068833.652007648
9077437.858508604
10086042.06500956
1000860420.6500956

How to convert watt-hours to calories?

To convert Watt-hours (Wh) to calories, you need to use the energy conversion factor. One Watt-hour is equivalent to 3600 Joules, because 1 Watt is equal to 1 Joule per second, and there are 3600 seconds in an hour.

To convert Joules to calories, you use the conversion factor that 1 Joule is approximately 0.239005736 calories.

Let's do the conversion step by step:

1 Wh = 3600 Joules

3600 Joules * 0.239005736 calories/Joule ≈ 860.02 calories

So, 1 Watt-hour is approximately 860.02 calories (small "c" calories, also known as gram calories).

However, when referring to food energy, we commonly use kilocalories (kcal), where 1 kcal is equivalent to 1000 small "c" calories:

860.02 calories ≈ 0.86002 kilocalories

Real-world Examples

  1. Light Bulb Usage:

    • A 100-watt light bulb running for 10 hours uses: 100 W×10 hours=1000 Wh100 \text{ W} \times 10 \text{ hours} = 1000 \text{ Wh} 1000 Wh×860.02 calories/Wh860,020 calories1000 \text{ Wh} \times 860.02 \text{ calories/Wh} ≈ 860,020 \text{ calories}
  2. Smartphone Battery:

    • A smartphone with a 10 Watt-hour battery: 10 Wh×860.02 calories/Wh=8600.2 calories10 \text{ Wh} \times 860.02 \text{ calories/Wh} = 8600.2 \text{ calories}
    • Converting to kilocalories: 8600.2 calories÷1000=8.6 kcal8600.2 \text{ calories} ÷ 1000 = 8.6 \text{ kcal}
  3. Electric Car Charging:

    • An electric car that uses 60 kWh (60,000 Wh) to charge: 60,000 Wh×860.02 calories/Wh=51,601,200 calories60,000 \text{ Wh} \times 860.02 \text{ calories/Wh} = 51,601,200 \text{ calories}
    • Converting to kilocalories: 51,601,200 calories÷1000=51,601.2 kcal51,601,200 \text{ calories} ÷ 1000 = 51,601.2 \text{ kcal}
  4. Household Consumption:

    • An average household in the U.S. uses about 30 kWh per day: 30,000 Wh×860.02 calories/Wh=25,800,600 calories30,000 \text{ Wh} \times 860.02 \text{ calories/Wh} = 25,800,600 \text{ calories}
    • Converting to kilocalories: 25,800,600 calories÷1000=25,800.6 kcal25,800,600 \text{ calories} ÷ 1000 = 25,800.6 \text{ kcal}

These examples demonstrate the conversion of watt-hours to calories and provide context to the types of energy consumption in everyday scenarios.

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 calories to other unit conversions.

What is watt-hours?

A watt-hour is a unit of energy and its units, Wh, are formed with W for watt and h for hour from SI unit system. Its definition, in the context of electricity, is the energy of one watt power flowing for one hour.

Followings equivalent equations are identical but in different units.

1Wh=1Pt=1IVt=3600J=2.2471022eV=8.598105cal1 Wh = 1 Pt = 1 IVt = 3600 J = 2.247 * 10^{22} eV = 8.598*10^5 cal

PPowerP - Power
tTime (in hours. Multiply by 3600 to convert to seconds)t - Time \text{ (in hours. Multiply by 3600 to convert to seconds)}
ICurrentI - Current VVoltsV - Volts
JJoulesJ - Joules
eVElectronvolteV - Electronvolt
calCaloriescal - Calories

Wikipedia page for Kilowatt-hour (watt-hour redirected to kWh) UCI article on Energy Units and Conversions Ian Woofenden's explanation on difference between Watts and Watt-Hours

What is calories?

Calories are a unit of measurement that represents the amount of energy your body gets from consuming food and drinks. In other words, they measure the energy content of what you eat.

Here's how it works:

  1. Your body uses calories to function: To grow, repair tissues, and maintain basic bodily functions (like beating your heart or breathing), your body needs a certain amount of energy.
  2. Food provides that energy: When you eat food, the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in those foods are broken down into different forms of energy. This process is called metabolism.
  3. Calories represent that energy: The total amount of energy from these processes is measured in calories (or kilocalories). One calorie is equal to 4.184 joules.

Think of it like this:

  • A car engine needs gasoline to run, and a certain amount of gasoline provides a specific amount of energy.
  • Similarly, your body "runs" on the energy provided by the foods you eat. The more calories in those foods, the more energy they provide for your bodily functions.

Here are some common examples of calorie sources:

  • 1 banana: approximately 100-110 calories
  • 1 apple: around 95 calories
  • 1 cup of cooked rice: about 200-250 calories

When you consume a certain amount of calories, your body uses that energy to perform various functions. Excess calories can lead to weight gain if not balanced with physical activity or burned off through exercise.

Does this help clarify what calories are?

Complete Watt-hours conversion table

Enter # of Watt-hours
Convert 1 Wh to other unitsResult
Watt-hours to Watt-seconds (Wh to Ws)3600
Watt-hours to Watt-minutes (Wh to Wm)60
Watt-hours to Milliwatt-hours (Wh to mWh)1000
Watt-hours to Kilowatt-hours (Wh to kWh)0.001
Watt-hours to Megawatt-hours (Wh to MWh)0.000001
Watt-hours to Gigawatt-hours (Wh to GWh)1e-9
Watt-hours to Joules (Wh to J)3600
Watt-hours to Kilojoules (Wh to kJ)3.6
Watt-hours to Megajoules (Wh to MJ)0.0036
Watt-hours to Gigajoules (Wh to GJ)0.0000036
Watt-hours to calories (Wh to cal)860.4206500956
Watt-hours to Kilocalories (Wh to kcal)0.8604206500956