Convert Terajoules to Calories

Convert Terajoules (TJ) to Calories (cal) instantly and accurately.

Conversion Formula

cal = TJ × 239005736100

About Terajoules

A terajoule (TJ) is 10¹² J - the scale of nuclear yields in the kiloton range and large industrial accidents. One kiloton of TNT = 4.184 TJ; the Hiroshima bomb (15 kt) released ~62.8 TJ. The Halifax Explosion (1917) released ~3 TJ. A 500 MW coal plant consumes ~51.4 TJ/h of thermal input. Daily primary energy of Denmark is ~250-300 TJ; the UK ~3,800 TJ/day. A 1 GW nuclear reactor at 90% capacity factor generates ~77.7 TJ/day. 1 TJ = 10¹² J = 277,778 kWh = 277.78 MWh = 23.88 ktoe.

About Calories

A calorie (cal) - the thermochemical calorie - is exactly 4.184 J, defined as the heat to raise 1 g of water by 1°C. Standard since 1954. The calorie is the fundamental unit of heat measurement in thermochemistry: glucose combustion releases 669.9 kcal/mol; water vaporisation requires 539.7 cal/g. Bond dissociation energies in quantum chemistry are often quoted in kcal/mol. Note: the dietary Calorie (capital C) on food labels is 1 kcal = 4,184 J - a factor-of-1,000 difference that causes persistent confusion. 1 cal = 4.184 J = 1.163 × 10⁻³ Wh.

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