UnitConKilowatt-Hours to Joules Converter
Convert kilowatt-hours to joules for comparing electrical energy with mechanical or thermal energy, battery capacity analysis, and physics problem-solving. The joule is the SI unit of energy while the kilowatt-hour is the practical unit for electricity billing.
Formula
Multiply kilowatt-hours by 3,600,000 to get joules. To reverse, divide joules by 3,600,000 to get kilowatt-hours.
Quick reference
| Kilowatt-hour (kWh) | Joule (J) |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 360,000 |
| 0.5 | 1,800,000 |
| 1 | 3,600,000 |
| 2 | 7,200,000 |
| 5 | 18,000,000 |
| 10 | 36,000,000 |
| 50 | 180,000,000 |
| 100 | 360,000,000 |
| 500 | 1,800,000,000 |
| 1000 | 3,600,000,000 |
About these units
Kilowatt-hour
The kilowatt-hour emerged in the late 19th century as a practical billing unit for electrical power companies. One kWh equals the energy consumed by a 1000-watt device running for one hour, making it the standard unit on electricity meters worldwide.
Joule
The joule (1 N·m = 1 kg·m²/s²) was named after physicist James Prescott Joule, who established the mechanical equivalent of heat in the 1840s. It became the SI unit of energy in 1948 and is used across all forms of energy measurement in science.
Frequently asked questions
Exactly 3,600,000 joules (3.6 MJ), since 1 kW = 1000 J/s and 1 hour = 3600 s.
One kWh powers a 100W light bulb for 10 hours, runs a microwave for about 45 minutes, or charges a smartphone roughly 50 times.
One joule is approximately the energy needed to lift a small apple (100 g) one meter off the ground.