What is a BTU?

What is a BTU?

• A. A unit of time
• B. The British thermal unit (symbol BTU or Btu) is a traditional unit of energy equal to about 1,055 joules
• C. A unit of power
• D. A unit of length

Answer: (B)

BTU is a unit of energy used in heating and cooling. It stands for British Thermal Unit and represents the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit, which is about 1,055 joules. This distinguishes it from time (which measures duration) and length (which measures distance), and from power (which is energy per unit time). In HVAC contexts you’ll also hear BTU per hour, which is a related measure of the rate of energy transfer, but the basic BTU is an energy quantity.

BTU is a unit of energy used in heating and cooling. It stands for British Thermal Unit and represents the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit, which is about 1,055 joules. This distinguishes it from time (which measures duration) and length (which measures distance), and from power (which is energy per unit time). In HVAC contexts you’ll also hear BTU per hour, which is a related measure of the rate of energy transfer, but the basic BTU is an energy quantity.