Kilojoules To Calories Conversion

1 kJ = 238.8458966275 cal

Want to convert from calories to kilojoules instead?

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How to convert kilojoules to calories (kJ to cal)

The formula for converting kilojoules to calories is: cal = kJ × 238.8458966275. To calculate the kilojoule value in calories first substitute the kilojoule value into the preceding formula, and then perform the calculation. If we wanted to calculate 1 kilojoule in calories we follow these steps:

cal = kJ × 238.8458966275

cal = 1 × 238.8458966275

cal = 238.8458966275

In other words, 1 kilojoule is equal to 238.8458966275 calories.

Example Conversion

Let's take a look at an example. The step-by-step process to convert 3 kilojoules to calories is:

Understand the conversion formula: cal = kJ × 238.8458966275
Substitute the required value. In this case we substitute 3 for kJ so the formula becomes: cal = 3 × 238.8458966275
Calculate the result using the provided values. In our example the result is: 3 × 238.8458966275 = 716.5376898825 cal

In summary, 3 kilojoules is equal to 716.5376898825 calories.

Converting calories to kilojoules

In order to convert the other way around i.e. calories to kilojoules, you would use the following formula: kJ = cal × 0.0041868. To convert calories to kilojoules first substitute the calorie value into the above formula, and then execute the calculation. If we wanted to calculate 1 calorie in kilojoules we follow these steps:

kJ = cal × 0.0041868

kJ = 1 × 0.0041868

kJ = 0.0041868

Or in other words, 1 calorie is equal to 0.0041868 kilojoules.

Conversion Unit Definitions

What is a Kilojoule?

A kilojoule (kJ) is a metric unit of energy in the International System of Units (SI). One kilojoule is equal to 1,000 joules. It is commonly used in nutrition and chemistry to express the energy content of foods and the energy released or absorbed in chemical reactions.

In the context of nutrition, kilojoules are often used to measure the energy value of foods and beverages. The energy we obtain from the food we eat is usually expressed in kilojoules or kilocalories (commonly referred to as calories). One kilocalorie is approximately equal to 4.184 kilojoules.

In chemical reactions, especially in the field of thermodynamics, energy changes are frequently measured in joules or kilojoules. The prefix "kilo-" denotes a factor of 1,000, so 1 kilojoule is equivalent to 1,000 joules.

What is a Calorie?

A calorie (cal) is a unit of energy commonly used in nutrition. It represents the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius (or one degree Kelvin). In the context of nutrition, the term "calorie" usually refers to a kilocalorie, which is equal to 1,000 calories in scientific terms.

The energy content of food and beverages is often measured in kilocalories, abbreviated as kcal or Cal (with an uppercase "C" to distinguish it from the smaller "cal" used in physics).

In scientific terms, 1 kilocalorie is equal to 4.184 kilojoules (kJ). The conversion factor between kilocalories (kcal) and kilojoules (kJ) is 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ.

In everyday language, when people refer to the number of calories in food, they are usually referring to kilocalories. For example, if a food label says a serving contains 200 calories, it means 200 kilocalories or 200,000 calories in scientific terms.