How many calories are in a joule?

1 J = 0.239006 cal. To convert any amount, multiply by 0.239006.

How do you convert joules to calories?

Multiply the number of joules by 0.239006 to get calories. The formula is shown in the "How it's calculated" section above.

Where does the conversion factor come from?

It's a published international standard. Most are defined exactly by international agreement (e.g. 1 inch = 25.4 mm exactly, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly). Source citations are listed under the formula above.

Unit converter — Energy

Joules to calories converter

Convert joules (J) to calories (cal). Source-cited conversion factor, exact to the displayed precision.

Results are mathematically exact for the displayed precision. How we calculate.

How it's calculated

Convert joules to calories— the formula

Joules convert to calories by multiplying by the published conversion factor. The factor below is exact to the precision shown, sourced from the citation under the formula.

cal = J × 0.239006

J = cal × 4.184

Joule: SI derived. 1 cal (thermochemical) = 4.184 J exactly; 1 kcal = 1000 cal. 1 kWh = 3,600,000 J exactly. 1 BTU (IT) = 1055.05585262 J (NIST SP 811).

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a joule?
1 J = 0.239006 cal. To convert any amount, multiply by 0.239006.
How do you convert joules to calories?
Multiply the number of joules by 0.239006 to get calories. The formula is shown in the "How it's calculated" section above.
Where does the conversion factor come from?
It's a published international standard. Most are defined exactly by international agreement (e.g. 1 inch = 25.4 mm exactly, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly). Source citations are listed under the formula above.