Convert Calories to Foot-pounds
1 calorie (cal) equals 3.085960033 foot-pounds (ft·lbf).
1 cal = 3.085960033 ft·lbf
Type in either box. Scientific notation works: 1.5e-3.
Converting a list? Use the bulk calorie to foot-pound converter to paste a column from Excel.
How to Convert Calorie to Foot-pound
- 1 cal = 3.085960033 ft·lbf
- 1 ft·lbf = 0.3240482668 cal
- Example: convert 15 cal to ft·lbf: 15 cal = 15 × 3.085960033 ft·lbf = 46.28940049 ft·lbf
Reference conditions. cal: Thermochemical calorie, 4.184 J exactly. The International Table calorie is 4.1868 J.
Formula
ft·lbf = cal × 3.085960032576
Derivation from SI units:
- 1 cal (thermochemical) = 4.184 J (exact)
- 1 ft·lbf = 0.3048 m × 4.4482216152605 N = 1.3558179483314 J
- 1 cal = 4.184 J ÷ 1.355817948331 J per ft·lbf = 3.085960032576 ft·lbf
Both units are defined exactly, so the factor is exact. Calorie definition: calorie; Foot-pound definition: foot-pound.
Worked examples
- A reading of 100 cal converts to 308.5960033 ft·lbf.
100 cal × 3.085960033 = 308.5960033 ft·lbf - A value of 1000 cal is 3085.960033 ft·lbf.
1000 cal × 3.085960033 = 3085.960033 ft·lbf
Calorie to Foot-pound conversion table
| Calories (cal) | Foot-pounds (ft·lbf) |
|---|---|
| 1 cal | 3.085960033 ft·lbf |
| 10 cal | 30.85960033 ft·lbf |
| 100 cal | 308.5960033 ft·lbf |
| 250 cal | 771.4900081 ft·lbf |
| 500 cal | 1542.980016 ft·lbf |
| 1000 cal | 3085.960033 ft·lbf |
| 4184 cal | 12911.65678 ft·lbf |
| 10000 cal | 30859.60033 ft·lbf |
Where it's used
Calories are used for chemistry and calorimetry, while foot-pounds appear in muzzle energy of firearms and air rifles. Both measure energy, work and heat, so the conversion is a fixed factor.
Calorie to other energy units
| Conversion | 1 cal equals |
|---|---|
| calorie to joule | 4.184 J |
| calorie to kilojoule | 0.004184 kJ |
| calorie to megajoule | 0.000004184 MJ |
| calorie to kilocalorie | 0.001 kcal |
| calorie to watt-hour | 0.001162222222 Wh |
| calorie to kilowatt-hour | 0.000001162222222 kWh |
| calorie to BTU | 0.003965666831 BTU |
| calorie to therm | 3.966613703 × 10⁻⁸ thm |
| calorie to electronvolt | 2.611447397 × 10¹⁹ eV |
| calorie to foot-pound | 3.085960033 ft·lbf |
| calorie to erg | 41840000 erg |
Frequently asked questions
How many foot-pounds are in 1 calorie?
1 cal = 3.085960033 ft·lbf.
How do I convert calories to foot-pounds?
Multiply the value in cal by 3.085960033. For example, 15 cal × 3.085960033 = 46.28940049 ft·lbf.
Is the cal to ft·lbf conversion exact?
Yes. Both units are defined exactly, so the ratio is exact; its decimal form does not terminate and is shown here to 10 significant figures (more with the precision selector).
Sources
- Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI), NIST Special Publication 811, 2008 Edition, National Institute of Standards and Technology , Appendix B.8, "calorie (thermochemical) (cal_th)".
- Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI), NIST Special Publication 811, 2008 Edition, National Institute of Standards and Technology , Appendix B.8, "foot pound-force (ft·lbf)".
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
Cite this page
APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Convert Calories to Foot-pounds. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/energy/calories-to-foot-pounds/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Convert Calories to Foot-pounds," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 17, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/energy/calories-to-foot-pounds/