kw

Everyday

1. (science) kW stands for kilowatt, a unit of power equal to 1,000 watts. tree →
2. kWh stands for kilowatt-hour, a unit of energy used on electricity bills. tree →

In the lessons

Science and everyday life: kettles, heaters and car engines are measured in kW; electricity bills count kWh. It tells the reader how much power a machine uses.

Examples

• The kettle uses about 2 kW. tree →
• A small heater may be 1 kW. tree →
• Our electricity bill shows we used 300 kWh. tree →
• The electric car's motor is 150 kW. tree →
• 1 kW = 1,000 watts. tree →
• A 2 kW heater for 3 hours uses 6 kWh. tree →

Note

Correct writing: small «k», capital «W» (kW), because the watt is named after James Watt. Maths: kW × hours = kWh; e.g. 2 kW for 3 hours = 6 kWh. Do not mix kW (power) with kWh (energy).