Specific energy
Specific energy | |
---|---|
Common symbols | |
SI unit | J/kg |
Other units | kcal/g, W⋅h/kg, kW⋅h/kg, Btu/lb |
In SI base units | m2⋅s−2 |
Intensive? | Yes |
Derivations from other quantities | |
Dimension |
Specific energy or massic energy is
The
The concept of specific energy is related to but distinct from the notion of
Table of some non-SI conversions
The following table shows the factors for conversion to J/kg of some non-
Unit | SI equivalent |
---|---|
kcal/g[3] | 4.184 MJ/kg |
Wh/kg | 3.6 kJ/kg |
kWh/kg | 3.6 MJ/kg |
Btu/lb[4] |
2.326 kJ/kg |
Btu/lb[5] | 2.32444 kJ/kg |
For a table giving the specific energy of many different fuels as well as batteries, see the article Energy density.
Ionising radiation
For
Energy density of food
Energy density is the amount of energy per mass or volume of food. The energy density of a food can be determined from the label by dividing the energy per serving (usually in
Energy density measures the energy released when the food is
Fuel
Energy density is sometimes useful for comparing fuels. For example, liquid hydrogen fuel has a higher specific energy (energy per unit mass) than gasoline does, but a much lower volumetric energy density.
Astrodynamics
The specific energy of an object such as a meteoroid falling on the Earth from outside the Earth's gravitational well is at least one half the square of the escape velocity of 11.2 km/s. This comes to 63 MJ/kg (15 kcal/g, or 15 tonnes TNT equivalent per tonne). Comets have even more energy, typically moving with respect to the Sun, when in our vicinity, at about the square root of two times the speed of the Earth. This comes to 42 km/s, or a specific energy of 882 MJ/kg. The speed relative to the Earth may be more or less, depending on direction. Since the speed of the Earth around the Sun is about 30 km/s, a comet's speed relative to the Earth can range from 12 to 72 km/s, the latter corresponding to 2592 MJ/kg. If a comet with this speed fell to the Earth it would gain another 63 MJ/kg, yielding a total of 2655 MJ/kg with a speed of 72.9 km/s. Since the equator is moving at about 0.5 km/s, the impact speed has an upper limit of 73.4 km/s, giving an upper limit for the specific energy of a comet hitting the Earth of about 2690 MJ/kg.
If the
Miscellaneous
- Kinetic energy per unit mass: 1/2v2, where v is the speed (giving J/kg when v is in m/s). See also kinetic energy per unit mass of projectiles.
- Potential energy with respect to gravity, close to Earth, per unit mass: gh, where g is the acceleration due to gravity (standardized as ≈9.8 m/s2) and h is the height above the reference level (giving J/kg when g is in m/s2 and h is in m).
- specific heat of vaporization
See also
- Energy density, which has tables of specific energies of devices and materials
- Power-to-weight ratio
- Heat of combustion
- Specific orbital energy
- Orders of magnitude (energy)
References
- ^
Kenneth E. Heselton (2004), "Boiler Operator's Handbook". Fairmont Press, 405 pages. ISBN 0881734357
- ^
Jerzy Leszczynski (2011), "Handbook of Computational Chemistry". Springer, 1430 pages. ISBN 940070710X
- ^ Using the thermochemical calorie.
- steam tablecalorie.
- ^ Using the definition based on the thermochemical calorie.
- ^ "CIPM, 2002: Recommendation 2". BIPM.
- ^ Stevens, Heidi (April 19, 2010). "Consider caloric density for weight loss". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b "Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats: Overview of Nutrition". The Merck Manual.
- ISBN 9781444313222.
- ^ "The Okinawa Diet: Caloric Density Pyramid" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 9, 2009.
- ^ "The end of life on Earth". New Scientist. Jun 4, 2016.
- Çengel, Yunus A.; Turner, Robert H. (2005). Fundamentals of Thermal-Fluid Sciences. McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-297675-6.