How many watts are equivalent to one horsepower?

Study for the Con Edison Basic Electric Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

How many watts are equivalent to one horsepower?

Explanation:
Power is the rate at which work is done, and one horsepower is defined as 550 foot-pounds of work per second. Converting that to watts uses that 1 foot-pound is about 1.356 joules, so 550 × 1.356 ≈ 745.8 joules per second, i.e., watts. That makes one horsepower roughly 746 watts. The other options don’t fit because they correspond to significantly different power levels: 500 W is about 0.67 hp, 1000 W is about 1.34 hp, and 2000 W is about 2.68 hp.

Power is the rate at which work is done, and one horsepower is defined as 550 foot-pounds of work per second. Converting that to watts uses that 1 foot-pound is about 1.356 joules, so 550 × 1.356 ≈ 745.8 joules per second, i.e., watts. That makes one horsepower roughly 746 watts. The other options don’t fit because they correspond to significantly different power levels: 500 W is about 0.67 hp, 1000 W is about 1.34 hp, and 2000 W is about 2.68 hp.

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