Calories conversion

Use the search box to find your required metric converter

→

Calories

Abbreviation/Symbol:

  • Cal

Unit of:

  • Energy and power

Worldwide use:

  • As part of the metric system but not an SI unit, calories still have widespread use but are being superceded by the Joule

Definition:

A calorie is the amount of energy it takes to warm 1 gram of water by 1° C. One calorie is equal to 4.184 joules

Origin:

The calorie was first defined in 1824, by Nicolas Clément. It is a metric unit but its use has been superceeded in the SI units by the Joule

Usage context:

The calorie is widely used in chemistry and as a measure of food energy

Multiples:

  • There are 1,000 gram calories in a Kilgram Calorie