kilowatt-hour
Definition
Noun: A unit of energy equivalent to the work done by one kilowatt (1,000 watts) of power operating for one hour. It is commonly used to measure electrical energy consumption, such as the amount of electricity used by a household or appliance.
Usage Examples
- (The total energy consumed by the home.)
- (Calculation of energy usage based on power and time.)
- (The cost rate for electrical energy.)
Advanced Usage
- "Kilowatt-hour meter": a device that measures the electrical energy consumed in kilowatt-hours.
- The meter outside the house tracks the kilowatt-hours used by the entire building. (A practical application of the unit for billing.)
- "Kilowatt-hour equivalent": used in contexts like battery capacity or fuel energy content.
- The electric car battery has a capacity of 60 kilowatt-hours. (The total energy stored in the battery.)
Variants and Related Words
- Kilowatt (n): a unit of power equal to 1,000 watts.
- The solar panels generate 5 kilowatts of power. (A measure of power, not energy.)
- Watt-hour (n): a smaller unit of energy equal to the work done by one watt for one hour.
- A small battery might store only 10 watt-hours of energy. (A related but smaller unit.)
Synonyms
- Unit of energy: a general term for a measure of energy, often used interchangeably with "kilowatt-hour" in electrical contexts.
- Electrical unit: a standard measure for quantifying electricity consumption.
Related Idioms
- (It is primarily used in scientific, engineering, and billing contexts.)
Phrasal Verbs
- (It does not function as a verb or part of a verb phrase.)