One BTU equals how many joules?

One BTU equals how many joules?

• A. 778.173 joules
• B. 1055.06 joules
• C. 1,055 joules
• D. 1,200 joules

Answer: (B)

The key idea is converting a BTU to joules using the standard energy definition. A BTU is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. When you express that energy in the SI unit, it comes out to about 1055.06 joules (since 1 BTU = 252.164 calories and 1 cal = 4.184 J, so 252.164 × 4.184 ≈ 1055.06 J). In practice, you’ll see 1055.06 J or a rounded 1055 J used. The other numbers aren’t the official conversion from BTU to joules, so they don’t match the standard definition.

The key idea is converting a BTU to joules using the standard energy definition. A BTU is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. When you express that energy in the SI unit, it comes out to about 1055.06 joules (since 1 BTU = 252.164 calories and 1 cal = 4.184 J, so 252.164 × 4.184 ≈ 1055.06 J). In practice, you’ll see 1055.06 J or a rounded 1055 J used. The other numbers aren’t the official conversion from BTU to joules, so they don’t match the standard definition.