How to Convert Joules

To convert joules, all you need is a calculator.

The joule is the amount of energy it takes to apply 1 newton of force on an object for a distance of 1 meter. This is the same as multiplying the force of a newton by a distance of a meter and so is also called a newton meter or Nm. When talking about units of electricity you would use watts as the unit of force and seconds instead of distance as you want the duration of the applied force instead of the distance. We keep track of the electricity we use with kilowatt-hours because the joule is such a small unit so if we have our energy output in joules we can convert it to kilowatt-hours.

Things You'll Need

• Calculator

Instructions

1. Divide 1 joule by 3600 as there are 3600 seconds in an hour.

2. Divide your answer by 1000 as there are a thousand watts in a kilowatt. The number that you should get is 2.77777777778*10^-7 (which is also written as .000000277777777778).

3. Multiply the number of Joules you are converting by 2.77777777778*10^-7. This is now stated in kilowatt-hours instead of joules.

Tips & Warnings

• If you multiply kilowatt-hours by 3600000 you can convert the kWh to joules. This is just the reverse of dividing your joules by 2.77777777778*10^-7.