Question 1

How are food calories measured?

Accepted Answer

Bomb calorimeter burns food, measures heat released. 1 food Calorie = 1 kcal = 4184 joules.

Question 2

How accurate are food calorie labels?

Accepted Answer

FDA allows 20% variance. Actual calories depend on cooking method, portion accuracy, and individual digestion.

Question 3

What's the difference between energy and power?

Accepted Answer

Energy (joules, kWh) is total work done. Power (watts) is energy per unit time. A 100W bulb for 10 hours = 1 kWh of energy.

Question 4

Why are there so many energy units?

Accepted Answer

Different fields developed their own: BTU for heating, calories for nutrition, joules for physics, kWh for electricity billing.

Food Calorie Converter

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