The joule pronounced (The Jewel), is a derived unit of energy, work, or amount of heat in the International System of Units.
The Joule is equal to the energy transferred (or work done) when applying a force of one newton through a distance of one metre (1 newton metre or N•m), or in passing an electric current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second.
The Joule is named after the English physicist James Prescott Joule (1818-1889).
In terms of base SI units: Where kg is the kilogram, m is the metre, s is the second, N is the newton, Pa is the pascal, W is the watt, C is the coulomb, and V is the volt.
One joule in everyday life represents approximately:
- The energy required to lift a small apple (with a mass of approximately 100 g) vertically through one metre of air.
- The energy released when that same apple falls one metre to the ground.
- The energy required to accelerate a 1 kg mass at 1 m·s−2 through a 1 m distance in space.
- The heat required to raise the temperature of 1 g of water by 0.24 K.
- The typical energy released as heat by a person at rest every 1/60 second (approximately 17 ms).
- The kinetic energy of a human moving very slowly (0.2 m/s or 0.72 km/h).
- The kinetic energy of a tennis ball moving at 6 m/s (22 km/h).
- The kinetic energy of an object with mass 1 kg moving at √2 ≈ 1.4 m/s.
- The amount of electricity required to light a 1 watt LED for 1 s.
Since The Joule is also a watt-second and the common unit for electricity sales to homes is the kW·h (kilowatt-hour), a kW·h is thus 1000 (kilo) watt × 3600 seconds = 3.6 MJ (megajoules).
Lastly, you know you’ve lived long enough in the Chicago area when you say, ”I’m going to The Jewel, can I get you anything?”
You'll need a writing utensil, since there is no room for anything but the log.