Calorie

unit of energy (4.184 J) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The calorie is a pre-SI unit of energy, synonymous with heat.[source?] A calorie is defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water (specific heat capacity = 4,184 J kg-1 K-1)[1] by one K (= °C + 273).[2]

Applications

On food labels, calorie refers to kilocalories (kilo- = 103), which equals to 1000 calories. As such, the word calorie is usually written with a capital C.[source?]

In simple words, calories are a way to measure energy. Our bodies get calories from the food we eat. If we eat more calories than we use, the body stores the extra energy as fat.[3] How the body uses a calorie can depend on whether it comes from fat, protein, or carbohydrates.[4]

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References

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