How to use the joule heating calculator
Find heat produced by current in a resistor. Enter current, resistance, time in the fields above; the power dissipated, heat produced are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Formula
Variables
- I — Current (A)
- R — Resistance (Ω)
- t — Time (s)
Worked example
With current = 5 A, resistance = 20 Ω, time = 60 s, the calculator gives power dissipated ≈ 500 W; heat produced ≈ 30 kJ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula for the joule heating calculation?
Power dissipated (W) = I × I × R. Heat produced (kJ) = [Power dissipated] × t / 1000. Here I is current (A), R is resistance (Ω), t is time (s).
What inputs do I need for the joule heating calculator?
You need current in A, resistance in Ω, time in s. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use this calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.