# Circuit Playground: J is for Joule ## Video Adabot gets working with James Prescott Joule and learns all about the Joule, a unit which measures work itself! https://youtu.be/QK5Bxf3Pov0 # Circuit Playground: J is for Joule ## Transcript ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/145/medium800/circuit_playground_1-J_is_for_Joule-HD_1080p-2.jpeg?1472214832) Joule: RRRise and Shine Adabot! It’s time for work! Adabot: Work? Joule: Work! Adabot: Ok! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/146/medium800/circuit_playground_2-J_is_for_Joule-HD_1080p-3.jpeg?1472214860) Adabot: Who are you? – and what are we working on? Joule: My name is James Prescott Joule - perhaps you’ve heard of me? Adabot: I think so - aren’t you a scientist? Joule: Exactly! I’ve spent my entire career studying the way things work. Adabot: What do you mean by work, exactly? Joule: So happy you asked! Let’s get working and I’ll explain! Adabot: umm - ok. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/147/medium800/circuit_playground_7-J_is_for_Joule-HD_1080p-1.jpeg?1472214910) Joule: Long ago I defined work as force multiplied by distance. So if we know how much force is applied over a certain distance, then we can know how much work has been accomplished. Adabot: Force multiplied by distance? Joule: Exactly! As I’m sure you know, It takes much more work to lift something up above your head than it does to raise it a few inches off the ground.  And when we measure force multiplied by distance, we do so using a unit of measurement known as the joule. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/148/medium800/circuit_playground_9-J_is_for_Joule-HD_1080p-1.jpeg?1472214946) Adabot: Wait, I thought you were named Joule? Joule: I am! I named this unit of measurement after myself - it is my life’s work after all. Adabot: That makes sense. Joule: Let me give you an example. Adabot: ok Joule: To the table! Adabot: To the table! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/150/medium800/circuit_playground_13-J_is_for_Joule-HD_1080p-1.jpeg?1472215011) Adabot: Ooh - how ‘bout them apples! Joule: Indeed, Adabot.  So, it takes a force of about 1 Newton to lift this apple. And if I lift this apple 1 meter then I’ve done 1 Joule of work! Adabot: Ok - but what if you lifted forty apples? Joule: Forty apples would be forty joules of work! Adabot: Woah - that’s a lot of work!. Joule: Indeed. Adabot: Indeed. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/151/medium800/circuit_playground_15-J_is_for_Joule-HD_1080p-1.jpeg?1472215032) Joule: So if we light this 3 Watt LED for 3 seconds- then we’ve done 9 Joules of work: 3 watts times 3 seconds equals 9 joules. Now, similarly - If we light this 60 Watt incandescent bulb for one hour, then we’ll have done 216,000 Joules of work.  Adabot: Woah - that’s a lot of joules! Joule: Exactly.  So, if you really wanted to save power,you might consider using something like this - a 12 watt LED bulb. Adabot: Oh - that would be smart move. Joule: Indeed, Adabot. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/152/medium800/circuit_playground_18-J_is_for_Joule-HD_1080p-2.jpeg?1472215063) Adabot: So, to calculate joules … we multiply force and distance … or power and time. Joule: Precisely Adabot!  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/153/medium800/circuit_playground_20-J_is_for_Joule-HD_1080p-2.jpeg?1472215084) Joule: So - are you ready to get to work? Adabot: I think so … Joule: Good - because we’re scheduled for 5,000 joules of work today. Adabot: Wait - what?! Joule: Come on Adabot! Let’s make hay while the sun is shining! Adabot: Wait - there’s hay now too?! Joule: It’s just an expression, Adabot - come on! # Circuit Playground: J is for Joule ## Learn More ## How to calculate Joules Let's go over some of the examples Adabot and Mr. Joule use in the video.  In order to calculate Joules, we can use one of two simple equations.  The first one uses measurements of **force** in **newtons** and **distance** in **meters** … ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/157/medium800/circuit_playground_distance-equation.jpg?1472241502) Mr. Joule uses a force of **1** **newton** to lift an apple **1 meter. **  Therefore … **1 newton x 1 meter = 1 joule** and in order to lift 40 apples, he uses a force of 40 newtons … **40 newtons x 1 meter = 40 joules**   The second equation we can use to calculate Joules uses measurements of Power in watts and time in seconds … ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/158/medium800/circuit_playground_power-equation.jpg?1472241516) Mr. Joule explains that if we light a 3 watt LED for 3 seconds we've used 9 joules of work: **3 watts x 3 seconds = 9 joules** and if we light a 60 watt incandescent bulb for one hour: **1 hour = 3600 seconds** **60 watts x 3600 seconds = 216,000 joules** and a more efficient LED light bulb which uses 12 watts could use less work to provide just as much light: **12 watts x 3600 seconds = 43,200 joules** If you know power & time, or force & distance - calculating joules is quite simple!   ## James Prescott Joule ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/035/155/medium800/circuit_playground_James_Prescott_Joule.jpg?1472240014) from [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Prescott_Joule) James Prescott Joule was an English physicist and brewer, born in Salford, Lancashire. Joule studied the nature of heat, and discovered its relationship to mechanical work. This led to the law of conservation of energy, which led to the development of the first law of thermodynamics. The SI derived unit of energy, the joule, is named after James Joule. He worked with Lord Kelvin to develop the absolute scale of temperature the kelvin. Joule also made observations of magnetostriction, and he found the relationship between the current through a resistor and the heat dissipated, which is now called Joule's first law. [learn more about Mr. Joule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Prescott_Joule) ## Featured Products ### Coloring book - "Ladyada's E is for electronics" [Coloring book - "Ladyada's E is for electronics"](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1000) Discontinued - [**you can grab ** Ladyada's Coloring book - "R is for Robots" **instead! **](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1936) Ladyada's "E is for Electronics" is a coloring book adventure with electronic components and their... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1000) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1000/guides) ### Mho the Resistor - Circuit Playground Plushie [Mho the Resistor - Circuit Playground Plushie](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1023) Mho has a laid-back, passive personality. He likes to do as little work as possible and prefers to simply let the world happen around him. Mho is kind of a hippie and is very quiet and gentle. He is best friends with Ruby, the red LED, who shares his idealism, though he's often... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1023) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1023/guides) ### Hans 555 Timer IC - Circuit Playground Plushie [Hans 555 Timer IC - Circuit Playground Plushie](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1022) [Discontinued - **you can grab one of our many other Plushies instead! **](https://www.adafruit.com/?q=plushie&sort=BestMatch) Hans is the 'old man' of the group. He tends to be nervous and is often indecisive. Hans frequently changes his mind and... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1022) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1022/guides) ### Connie the Transistor - Circuit Playground Plushie [Connie the Transistor - Circuit Playground Plushie](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1024) Connie is the co-leader of the group with Cappy. Connie is much more level-headed though, and somewhat of a mother figure for the others, particularly Ruby and Billie. She is very thorough, remarkably smart, and has a good heart. She is very dedicated to the others and acts as a balance to the... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1024) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1024/guides) ### Ruby the Red LED - Circuit Playground Plushie [Ruby the Red LED - Circuit Playground Plushie](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1025) Ruby is the ingenue of the group, and something of a Pollyanna. She is the youngest, the most talkative, and gets easily excited about everything. Ruby has a lot of energy and she's always ready to go on an adventure. Ruby's wanderlust sometimes gets her in trouble. Her best friend is... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1025) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1025/guides) ### Gus the Green LED - Circuit Playground Plushie [Gus the Green LED - Circuit Playground Plushie](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1026) [Discontinued - **you can grab the ** Ruby the Red LED - Circuit Playground Plushie  **instead!**](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1025) Gus is the smartest member of the group, but also the most coarse. Gus is the closest thing to an engineer in the group: he... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1026) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1026/guides) ### Billie the Blue LED - Circuit Playground Plushie [Billie the Blue LED - Circuit Playground Plushie](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1027) Billie doesn't just sing the blues, she lives the blues. Billie has a good heart, but she can be a total downer. She always sees glass as half-empty (even when it's full), and doesn't like to try new things. Billie has a big-sister relationship with Ruby, and admires her... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1027) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1027/guides) ### Cappy the Capacitor - Circuit Playground Plushie [Cappy the Capacitor - Circuit Playground Plushie](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1021) [Discontinued - **you can grab** Ruby the Red LED - Circuit Playground Plushie ** instead!**](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1025) Cappy is the de facto leader of the group. He is always coming up with crazy schemes. A running joke is that his capacitance value... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1021) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1021/guides) ## Related Guides - [Circuit Playground: B is for Battery](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-b-is-for-battery.md) - [Circuit Playground: Q is for Quartz](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-q-is-for-quartz.md) - [Circuit Playground: L is for LED](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-l-is-for-led.md) - [Circuit Playground - P is for PCB](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-p-is-for-pcb.md) - [Circuit Playground: M is for MOSFET](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-m-is-for-mosfet.md) - [Glowing Lotus Flower - Electronic Origami for Beginners](https://learn.adafruit.com/glowing-lotus-flower-electronic-origami-for-beginners.md) - [Circuit Playground: K is for Kits](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-k-is-for-kits.md) - [Circuit Playground: S is for Soldering Iron](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-s-is-for-soldering-iron.md) - [Circuit Playground: R is for Robots](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-r-is-for-robots.md) - [Circuit Playground: C is for Capacitor](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-c-is-for-capacitor.md) - [Circuit Playground - A is for Ampere](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-a-is-for-ampere.md) - [Circuit Playground: F is for Frequency](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-f-is-for-frequency.md) - [Circuit Playground: G is for Ground](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-g-is-for-ground.md) - [Circuit Playground: D is for Diode](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-d-is-for-diode.md)