Convert 475 cal to joules
The correct answer and explanation is:
To convert 475 calories (cal) to joules (J), use the conversion factor:
1 calorie (cal) = 4.184 joules (J)
Step-by-step Conversion:
475 cal×4.184Jcal=1,987.4 J475 \text{ cal} \times 4.184 \frac{\text{J}}{\text{cal}} = 1,987.4 \text{ J}
✅ Final Answer:
475 cal = 1,987.4 joules
💡 300-Word Explanation:
Energy can be measured in several units, and two commonly used ones are calories and joules. The calorie is traditionally used in chemistry and biology, especially when discussing food energy or heat. On the other hand, the joule is the standard unit of energy in the International System of Units (SI) and is widely used in physics and engineering.
To convert calories to joules, we use a specific conversion factor:
1 cal = 4.184 J
This means that every calorie contains 4.184 joules of energy.
In this case, you are given 475 cal. By multiplying 475 by 4.184, we determine how many joules are equivalent to this amount of energy. The multiplication gives 1,987.4 joules, meaning that 475 cal of energy is equal to 1,987.4 J.
Understanding this conversion is important because different scientific fields may prefer different energy units. For example, a nutrition label might list food energy in kilocalories (kcal), while a physics textbook will use joules when discussing kinetic or potential energy.
Moreover, the joule connects energy to other fundamental units:
1 joule = 1 newton × 1 meter = 1 kg·m²/s²
This links energy with mass, distance, and time, making it a more versatile and precise unit in physical sciences.
So, when doing science-based calculations or converting food energy into physical energy, knowing how to switch between calories and joules is essential.