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Energy
Kilocalories to BTU
Convert kilocalories (kcal) to BTU (BTU). Type a value below to see the result update instantly. Reference table and formula included.
Calculator
1 kcal = 3.9657 BTU
Kilocalories to BTU Conversion Table
Common values, ready to copy:
| kilocalories | BTU |
|---|---|
| 1 kcal | 3.9657 BTU |
| 2 kcal | 7.9313 BTU |
| 5 kcal | 19.8283 BTU |
| 10 kcal | 39.6565 BTU |
| 25 kcal | 99.1413 BTU |
| 50 kcal | 198.28 BTU |
| 100 kcal | 396.57 BTU |
| 1,000 kcal | 3965.65 BTU |
Formula
BTU = kilocalories × 3.96565124e+0
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 Kilocalories and BTU
Kilocalories (kcal): A thousand small calories, or about 4,184 J; this is what 'calories' means on US food labels. Common uses: Food energy labeling in the US (a 'Calorie' on a US food label is a kilocalorie), nutrition tracking, and exercise energy expenditure.
BTU (BTU): British Thermal Unit; the energy to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit; defined as exactly 1,055.06 J. Common uses: US heating and air conditioning (a 24,000 BTU air conditioner cools roughly a 1,500 sq ft room), and US natural gas billing.
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 BTU = kilocalories × 3.96565124e+0, 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 kilocalories and BTU 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.