100W in kWh-The Relationship between Watt and kWh
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100W in kWh-The Relationship between Watt and kWh
100W in kWh is not actually a correct question. Because Watts represents power, while kWh represents electricity. This article attempts to explain the conversion of 100W in kWh so that readers can understand the relationship between Watt and kWh.
Easy Way to Understand Watt and kWh
First let’s look at the definition of Watt:
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named in honor of James Watt (1736–1819), an 18th-century Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist who improved the Newcomen engine with his own steam engine in 1776. Watt’s invention was fundamental for the Industrial Revolution.
source: What is watt
The kilowatt-hour is a composite unit of energy equal to one kilowatt (kW) sustained for (multiplied by) one hour. The International System of Units (SI) unit of energy meanwhile is the joule (symbol J). Because a watt is by definition one joule per second, and because there are 3,600 seconds in an hour, one kWh equals 3,600 kilojoules or 3.6 MJ.
source: What is kilowatt-hour
To be honest, it is hard to understand this definition. Let’s use a simpler way to understand what is watt. Please see the following example:
Suppose there is a water tank that is empty at the beginning. A water hose is filling the tank with water for 10 seconds, so there are 10L (Liter) of water in the tank.According to this scenario, we can know several key values:
Water Volume = 10L
Water Flow Rate = 10L/10Seconds= 1L/Second
It is easy to understand here. So let’s think about it this way. The parameter power in Watt can actually be understood as the water flow rate, and the power consumption in kWh can be understood as the water volume. This means that the power in Watt is used to measure the average amount of electricity consumed by the electrical equipment per second. And the power consumption in kWh can be understood as how much electricity the device consumes in total after one hour.
According to the above figure, let’s understand it visually. We have a machine that runs for 3600 seconds, and the final power consumption is 1kWh, and its average power is 1000W. Here, average power is the water flow rate in the previous example, and used electricity or power consumption is the water volume in the previous example. The following is the calculation relationship between them:
Power Consumption(kWh) = Average Power(In kW Unit) * Time( In Hour Unit)
Please note that the confusing part is often the units. This calculation formula is very simple, but please pay attention to the kWh unit. If we break it down, it is killo Watts Hour, right? So the average power in the calculation formula is in kW instead of watt. 1kW = 1000 Watt. The time in the formula is in hours instead of seconds. We know that one hour is equal to seconds. 1hour=3600 seconds.
Based on this understanding, let’s look at the relationship between the parameters in the previous case.
Average Power in kW = Average Power in Watt/1000 = 1000W/1000 = 1kW
Time in hour = Time in seconds/3600 seconds per hour = 3600 seconds/ 3600 seconds per hour = 1hour
Power Consumption(kWh) = Average Power(In kW Unit) * Time( In Hour Unit)
= 1kW*1hour
= 1kWh
Answer the question 100W in kWh Conversion
According to our explanation in the previous part of the article, 100W and kWh are not the same concept. Power in Watt is used to measure the average amount of electricity consumed by the electrical equipment per second. And the power consumption in kWh can be understood as how much electricity the device consumes in total after one hour. So the conversion between them actually lacks the element of time. Let’s take out the formula in the previous chapter to see how to solve this problem:
Power Consumption(kWh) = Average Power(In kW Unit) * Time( In Hour Unit)
100W in kW Conversion = 100W/1000 =0.1kW
Then we need to assume the time. Let’s assume that the 100W device runs for 1 hour. Substituting it into the formula, we can get the conversion:
Power Consumption(kWh) = Average Power(In kW Unit) * Time( In Hour Unit)
= 0.1kW*1hour
= 0.1kWh
So a 100W device will require 0.1kWh of electricity to run for 1 hour.
Summary
To summarize,The question of 100W in kWh is actually a wrong understanding of the concept。Power in Watt is used to measure the average amount of electricity consumed by the electrical equipment per second. And the power consumption in kWh can be understood as how much electricity the device consumes in total after one hour. They are not measuring the same thing, and the relationship between them requires a time variable. So please don’t confuse the two.
