The Watt (W) in Power

What is Watt (W)

Watt (W) is the standard unit of power in the International System of Units (SI). It measures the rate of energy transfer or conversion. Specifically, one watt is defined as the amount of energy transfer equivalent to one joule per second. Therefore, we can express this relationship as:

Watt is named after the Scottish inventor James Watt, who is known for his work in the development of the steam engine. Power can be understood in terms of how quickly work is done or energy is consumed, making watts a crucial unit in various fields, from electrical engineering to physical sciences.

Watt is used to describe the output power of engines and the power consumption of electrical devices. For example, a light bulb rated at 60 watts uses 60 joules of electrical energy every second.

Common conversions values

Understanding the watt also involves knowing how it converts into other units of power. Here are some common conversion values:

• 1 W=0.000001 MW (megawatt)
• 1 W=0.001 kW (kilowatt)
• 1 W=0.0000002388459 Mcal/s (megacalories per second)
• 1 W=0.0002388459 kcal/s (kilocalories per second)
• 1 W=0.2388459 cal/s (calories per second)
• 1 W=0.0008598452 Mcal/h (megacalories per hour)
• 1 W=0.8598452 kcal/h (kilocalories per hour)
• 1 W=859.8452 cal/h (calories per hour)
• 1 W=0.00010193 bhp (brake horsepower)
• 1 W=0.001340483 hp (horsepower)
• 1 W=0.001341022 hp
• 1 W=0.001359622 hp
• 1 W=10000000 erg/s (ergs per second)
• 1 W=0.0009478171 BTU/s (British thermal units per second)
• 1 W=0.05686903 BTU/min (British thermal units per minute)
• 1 W=3.412142 BTU/h (British thermal units per hour)

These conversion factors highlight the versatility of the watt in measuring various types of power and energy transfer, making it an essential unit in multiple scientific and engineering contexts.