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Energy
Foot-pounds to Calories
Convert foot-pounds (ft·lb) to calories (cal). Type a value below to see the result update instantly. Reference table and formula included.
Calculator
1 ft·lb = 0.324049 cal
Foot-pounds to Calories Conversion Table
Common values, ready to copy:
| foot-pounds | calories |
|---|---|
| 1 ft·lb | 0.324049 cal |
| 2 ft·lb | 0.648098 cal |
| 5 ft·lb | 1.6202 cal |
| 10 ft·lb | 3.2405 cal |
| 25 ft·lb | 8.1012 cal |
| 50 ft·lb | 16.2024 cal |
| 100 ft·lb | 32.4049 cal |
| 1,000 ft·lb | 324.05 cal |
Formula
calories = foot-pounds × 3.24048757e-1
Energy uses the SI joule. Food calories (kcal) are 1,000 small calories: 1 kcal = 4,184 J. 1 kWh = 3.6 MJ = 3,600,000 J. 1 BTU = 1,055.06 J.
About Foot-pounds and Calories
Foot-pounds (ft·lb): The work done lifting one pound through one foot against gravity; 1 ft·lb = 1.35582 J. Common uses: Torque specifications in US automotive contexts (lug nuts, bolt torque), and some US engineering work.
Calories (cal): Originally defined as the energy to raise one gram of water by one degree Celsius; exactly 4.184 J in the modern definition (the thermochemical calorie). Common uses: Scientific work in chemistry, where the small calorie is the natural unit for heat-of-reaction measurements.
How the conversion works
Energy uses the SI joule. Food calories (kcal) are 1,000 small calories: 1 kcal = 4,184 J. 1 kWh = 3.6 MJ = 3,600,000 J. 1 BTU = 1,055.06 J.
The exact relationship is calories = foot-pounds × 3.24048757e-1, which the calculator at the top of this page applies in both directions. Type into either field and the other updates immediately.
When this conversion matters
Converting between foot-pounds and calories comes up wherever energy measurements move between systems — from one country's conventions to another's, from a scientific reference to a practical specification, or from one industry's working unit to another's. The calculator and reference table above cover the everyday range; for unusual values you can type any number into either field.