mechanical equivalent of heat

noun

(in any system of physical units) the number of units of work or energy equal to one unit of heat, as 4.1858 joules, which equals one small calorie.

Origin of mechanical equivalent of heat

First recorded in 1835–45

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British Dictionary definitions for mechanical equivalent of heat

mechanical equivalent of heat

noun

physics a factor for converting units of energy into heat units. It has the value 4.1868 joules per calorieSymbol: J

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012