(J) The SI unit of work or energy.
Definition: The work done by a force of 1 Newton acting to move an object through a distance of 1 meter in the direction in which the force is applied.
Since kinetic energy is one half the mass times the square of the velocity, 1 joule is the kinetic energy of a mass of two kilograms moving at a velocity of 1 m/sec.
The joule is named for the British physicist James P. Joule.