Skip to main content
Ch.1 - Introduction: Matter, Energy, and Measurement
Chapter 1, Problem 41

Use of the British thermal unit (Btu) is common in some types of engineering work. A Btu is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 lb of water by 1°F. Calculate the number of joules in a Btu.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the conversion factor between calories and joules: 1 calorie = 4.184 joules.
Recognize that 1 Btu is equivalent to 252 calories.
Use the conversion factor to convert calories to joules: multiply 252 calories by 4.184 joules/calorie.
Set up the equation: \( \text{Energy in joules} = 252 \text{ calories} \times 4.184 \text{ joules/calorie} \).
Perform the multiplication to find the energy in joules.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
3m
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

British Thermal Unit (Btu)

A British Thermal Unit (Btu) is a unit of heat energy defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. It is commonly used in heating and cooling systems, as well as in various engineering applications, to quantify energy transfer.
Recommended video:
Guided course
02:35
Thermal Equilibrium

Joules

The joule is the SI unit of energy, defined as the amount of work done when a force of one newton displaces an object by one meter. It is a standard unit used in physics and engineering to measure energy, heat, and work, providing a universal framework for energy calculations.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:14
Nature of Energy

Unit Conversion

Unit conversion is the process of converting a quantity expressed in one unit to another unit. In this context, converting Btu to joules involves using the conversion factor that 1 Btu is approximately equal to 1055 joules, allowing for the comparison and calculation of energy in different measurement systems.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:56
Conversion Factors