1 calorie is equal to 0.0010 kilocalorie.
Since a kilocalorie is 1000 times bigger than a calorie, converting calories to kilocalories means dividing the number of calories by 1000. This makes 1 calorie a very small fraction of a kilocalorie.
Conversion Tool
Result in kilocalorie:
Conversion Formula
The formula to convert calories (cal) to kilocalories (kcal) is:
kilocalories = calories ÷ 1000
This formula works because 1 kilocalorie equals 1000 calories, so dividing the calorie value by 1000 gives you the equivalent amount in kilocalories.
Example: Convert 500 calories to kilocalories.
- Step 1: Write down the calorie value: 500 cal
- Step 2: Divide by 1000: 500 ÷ 1000 = 0.5
- Step 3: Result is 0.5 kilocalories.
Conversion Example
- Convert 250 calories to kilocalories:
- Divide 250 by 1000.
- 250 ÷ 1000 = 0.25 kilocalories.
- So, 250 calories equals 0.25 kilocalories.
- Convert 750 calories to kilocalories:
- Divide 750 by 1000.
- 750 ÷ 1000 = 0.75 kilocalories.
- This means 750 calories equals 0.75 kilocalories.
- Convert 1200 calories to kilocalories:
- Divide 1200 by 1000.
- 1200 ÷ 1000 = 1.2 kilocalories.
- Therefore, 1200 calories equals 1.2 kilocalories.
- Convert 50 calories to kilocalories:
- Divide 50 by 1000.
- 50 ÷ 1000 = 0.05 kilocalories.
- Thus, 50 calories equals 0.05 kilocalories.
- Convert 999 calories to kilocalories:
- Divide 999 by 1000.
- 999 ÷ 1000 = 0.999 kilocalories.
- This indicates 999 calories equals 0.999 kilocalories.
Conversion Chart
This chart shows the conversion from calorie values to kilocalorie values from -24.0 to 26.0 calories. To use it, find the calorie value on the left, then read across to see the equivalent kilocalorie on the right.
Calories (cal) | Kilocalories (kcal) |
---|---|
-24.0 | -0.0240 |
-20.0 | -0.0200 |
-16.0 | -0.0160 |
-12.0 | -0.0120 |
-8.0 | -0.0080 |
-4.0 | -0.0040 |
0.0 | 0.0000 |
4.0 | 0.0040 |
8.0 | 0.0080 |
12.0 | 0.0120 |
16.0 | 0.0160 |
20.0 | 0.0200 |
24.0 | 0.0240 |
26.0 | 0.0260 |
Related Conversion Questions
- How many kilocalories is 1 calorie equal to?
- What’s the formula to convert 1 calorie into kilocalorie?
- Is 1 calorie a large or small amount in kilocalories?
- How do you quickly change 1 calorie to kilocalorie?
- What’s 1 calorie in terms of kilocalories for food energy?
- Can 1 calorie be expressed as a decimal kilocalorie?
- Why does 1 calorie convert to a small number in kilocalories?
Conversion Definitions
Calorie: A calorie is a unit of energy commonly used to measure the energy content in food and drink. One calorie is defined as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius at standard atmospheric pressure. It’s a smaller energy unit than a kilocalorie.
Kilocalorie: A kilocalorie, often called a “Calorie” with a capital C in nutrition, equals 1000 calories. It represents the amount of energy required to raise one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. Kilocalories are the standard unit for expressing food energy values, making it easier to quantify larger energy amounts.
Conversion FAQs
Why does converting 1 calorie to kilocalorie result in a decimal value?
Because a kilocalorie is 1000 times bigger than a calorie, converting from calorie to kilocalorie divides the original number by 1000. Since 1 is much smaller than 1000, the result is a decimal less than 1, specifically 0.001.
Can negative calories be converted to kilocalories?
Yes, negative calorie values can be converted the same way by dividing by 1000. Negative calories might represent energy deficits or theoretical values in some calculations, but mathematically, the conversion works identically.
Is there any difference between “calorie” and “kilocalorie” in food labels?
Food labels typically use “Calorie” with a capital C to mean kilocalorie. So when a label says 100 Calories, it means 100 kilocalories or 100,000 calories. The lowercase calorie isn’t used on labels, which can cause confusion.
What if I convert 0 calories to kilocalories?
Zero calories converted to kilocalories is still zero. The mathematical operation of dividing zero by 1000 results in zero, representing no energy content.
Does this conversion apply to all types of calories?
The conversion applies to the standard energy unit calorie related to heat and food energy. Other uses of “calorie” in different sciences might have slightly different definitions, but for nutrition and physics, this conversion is accurate.