How is heat generally measured?

Heat is generally measured in joules, which is the standard unit of energy in the International System of Units (SI). Joules quantify energy, including thermal energy, and provide a consistent framework for understanding heat transfer processes in physical science.

Calories are another unit for measuring heat energy, specifically defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. While calories are widely used in nutrition and certain contexts, the joule is more universally accepted in scientific measurements, making it the preferred choice in many contexts.

Liters are a unit of volume and are not suitable for measuring energy or heat. Similarly, volts measure electrical potential and cannot quantify heat energy. Given these distinctions, joules emerges as the most appropriate and universally recognized measurement for heat energy.