Calorie (cal)
The calorie (cal) originated in the 19th century as a unit for quantifying heat energy. It was initially defined as the energy required to increase the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius under standard atmospheric pressure. The calorie gained popularity in fields such as chemistry, physics, and nutrition. Despite not being an official SI unit, it remains prevalent on nutritional labels and in dietary contexts, particularly in the United States and Europe. Before the widespread adoption of the joule, the calorie played a significant role in standardizing energy measurements related to food and biological systems.
Watt Hour (Wh)
The watt-hour, symbolized as Wh, represents the energy consumed when one watt of power is used for one hour, equivalent to 3,600 joules. Introduced with the spread of electrical systems in the late 19th century, the watt-hour is a practical unit for measuring smaller-scale electrical consumption, such as that of batteries and small devices. It is widely used in electronics, computing, and renewable energy storage. While large-scale power use is measured in kilowatt hours, watt-hours provide fine-grained detail for portable and household applications.