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I can imagine two reasons. The first is that a Ws (watt x second, equal to joule) is

a fairly small unit. However, considering only this, a MWs = MJ (million Ws = million

joule)) could be used instead.

The other reason is that you will most likely calculate the time you turn on a

light-bulb, a computer, etc. by the hour, rather than by the second. If a certain

device - say, a computer - uses 200 Watts (= 0.2 kW), and you keep it on for 3

hours, you can multiply that directly, to get the number of kWh - without a lot of

conversions. In this example, 0.2 kW x 3 hours = 0.6 kWh.

However, if there were a tremendous grass-roots movement in favor of Joules,

a change-over would be easy enough for the public utilities. Since the kWh and

the Joule are both units of energy, it would be a relatively simple matter to just

re-scale the numbers on the meter face and on your monthly bill. When the man

comes around to read your meter, instead of writing down, "243 kWh" in his note-

book, he could just as well write "874,800,000 J" and bill you accordingly.

Similarly, the astronomer, instead of writing down "4.2 LY" in his notebook for the

distance to Proxima Centauri, could just as well write "11,451,620,000,000 miles".

It's purely a matter of personal preference and convenience. Most astronomers

have agreed on the "LY" for interstellar distances. Joules are still most convenient

in the Physics lab, but most power utility providers have agreed on kWh for the

electrical energy shipped to your house.

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βˆ™ 11y ago
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AnswerBot

βˆ™ 5mo ago

Electricity is sold in kilowatt-hours (kWh) because it represents the amount of electrical energy consumed over time, making it easier for consumers to understand their usage. Joules are a unit of energy and do not convey the same meaning in terms of consumption over time that kWh does. kWh also aligns with the way electricity is measured and billed by utility companies.

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Q: Why is electricity sold in kWh and not in joules?
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Related questions

How many joules is 1 kWh equal to?

1 kWh is equal to 3.6 million joules.


Convert joules to kwh?

To convert Joules to kilowatt-hours (kWh), divide the number of Joules by 3,600,000 (the number of Joules in a kWh). For example, to convert 1,000,000 Joules to kWh, you would divide 1,000,000 by 3,600,000 to get approximately 0.278 kWh.


How many joules are there in one kWH?

There are 3.6 million joules in one kilowatt-hour (kWh).


Write a relation between commercial unit of electricity and the SI unit of energy?

The commercial unit of electricity is typically measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), while the SI unit of energy is measured in joules (J). One kilowatt-hour is equal to 3.6 million joules.


How you can convert kWh into joules?

1 KWh is 1000 joules- hours per second so you change hours to seconds to get; 1 KWh = 1000 x 3600 joules - sec per sec which is 3600000 joules.


In what quantity is wind energy sold?

Assuming it is used to produce electricity, it will be sold in kWh, or MWh probably on a commercial scale.


How you convert 36watts in joules?

Watts is a unit of power; Joules is a unit of energy. Watts means Joules/second, so you would need to know how long a machine that uses 36 watts (for example, certain light-bulbs) is used.36 watts is simply 36 Joules per second; this is the same as 2160 Joules per minute, or 129,600 Joules per hour.Since the electricity bill is measured in kWh instead of Joule (1 kWh = 3,600,000 Ws = 3,600,000 Joule), you might also say that a device that uses 36 watts uses 0.036 kWh every hour.


A certain household has consumed 250 units of energy during a monthhow much energy is this in joules?

To convert from energy units (kWh) to joules, you can use the conversion factor: 1 kWh = 3.6 Γ— 10^6 joules. Therefore, 250 kWh is equal to 9 Γ— 10^8 joules.


How many joules are in a kWh?

1 kWh = 1,000 watt-hour1 watt = 1 joule per second1 hour = 3,600 seconds(1,000 watt-hour) = (1,000 joule/second) x (3,600 second/hour) = 3,600,000 joules


How much is 4180J in kw?

To convert joules to kilowatts, you need to divide the energy in joules by 3,600,000 (since 1 kWh = 3,600,000 J). Therefore, 4180 J is 0.00116 kWh.


Why do energy companies use kWh for bills instead of joules?

Energy companies use kilowatt-hours (kWh) instead of joules because kWh is a more convenient and practical unit for measuring the amount of energy consumed by households and businesses. Joules are much smaller units, requiring large numbers for typical energy usage, whereas kWh provides a more manageable figure for billing purposes.


Calculate number of joules in 1kwh?

1 Watt = 1 Joule/second 1 kilowatt = 1000 Watts = 1000 Joules/second 1 hour = 60 minutes = 3600 seconds 1 kWh = 1000 (Joules/second) * 3600 (seconds) = 3,600,000 Joules = 3.6 MJoules