The joule (symbol J), named for James Prescott Joule, is the derived unit of energy in the International System of Units. It is the energy exerted by a force of one newton acting to move an object through a distance of one metre. In terms of dimensions:
One joule is defined as the amount of work done by a force of one newton moving an object through a distance of one metre. Other relationships are:
While it is dimensionally correct to express jou...
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The joule (symbol J), named for James Prescott Joule, is the derived unit of energy in the International System of Units. It is the energy exerted by a force of one newton acting to move an object through a distance of one metre. In terms of dimensions:
One joule is defined as the amount of work done by a force of one newton moving an object through a distance of one metre. Other relationships are:
While it is dimensionally correct to express joules as newton metres or N·m, such use is discouraged by the SI authority to avoid confusion with torque. Torque and energy are fundamentally different physical quantities. For example, adding 1 N·m of torque to 1 N·m of energy gives a dimensionally consistent result of 2 N·m, but this quantity is physically meaningless.
One joule in everyday life is approximately:
The nanojoule (nJ) is equal to one billionth of one joule. One nanojoule is about 1/160th of the kinetic energy of a flying mosquito.
The microjoule (μJ) is equal to one millionth of...
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