Deutsch: Joule / Español: Julio / Português: Joule / Français: Joule / Italiano: Joule

The Joule (symbol J) is, according to the International System of Units, a derived unit of energy , work, or amount of heat. It is named after the English physicist, James Prescott Joule.

It is equal to the energy transferred or work done when applying one newton of force through a distance one meter (1 newton meter or N·m), or when passing an electric current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second.
It can also be defined as the amount of work required to move an electric charge of one coulomb through an electrical potential difference of one volt (1 coulomb volt or C·V), or the work required to produce one watt of power for one second (1 watt second or W·s).


In the context of the environment, Joule (J) is a unit of energy that is used to measure the amount of energy used or produced in various processes. Joules are commonly used in the context of energy conservation and renewable energy sources.

Examples of how Joules are used in the environment include: