Both units have the same definition: the amount of energy that is required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by 1 oC at 1 atm pressure.These calories are given in either Kcal or Cal. The amount of energy that can be obtained from food is measured as calories. The unit Cal is used to measure energy or heat. In other words, a kilogram contains 1,000 grams, and a kilocalorie contains 1,000 real calories.įigure 2: The amount of calories in apple is known to be around 95 (0.095 Cal).Īlthough the name is different, both Kcal and Cal define the same concept. This is because, Kcal stands for kilocalories where, the prefix kilo- stands for 10 3. According to the definition for small calories (cal), one cal is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by 1 oC at 1 atm pressure. The unit Kcal can be defined as the approximate amount of energy that is needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by 1 oC at 1 atm pressure.įor example, if you burn a substance, the Kcal value is the amount of heat that substance can produce. It measures the amount of energy or heat. Key Terms: Cal, Calories, Energy, Kcal, Kilocalories, Nutritional Value, Unit What is the Difference Between Kcal and Cal What is the Relationship Between Kcal and CalĤ. The main difference between Kcal and Cal is that Kcal is the unit used to express kilocalories whereas Cal is the unit used to express kilogram calorie.
This term is mostly used regarding the nutritional values of food or the energy produced by body tissues. These units are helpful in comparison of different values and to get an idea about dimensions of matter and energy. Units are standards that are used to express the value of our measurements. We measure different things in order to quantify them.