milliwatthours

Millicowatt-hours (mWh) are a unit of energy measurement commonly used in the context of small-scale electrical energy consumption or storage. It is a submultiple of the watt-hour (Wh), which is a standard unit representing the amount of energy equivalent to one watt of power sustained for one hour. The prefix "milli" indicates a thousandth, so one milliwatt-hour equals one-thousandth of a watt-hour.

Mathematically, one milliwatt-hour is equivalent to 0.001 watt-hours or 3.6 joules, since one watt-hour is equal to 3,600 joules. This unit is particularly useful for measuring the energy consumption or capacity of small electronic devices such as batteries, sensors, or portable gadgets where energy usage is minimal.

In practical applications, the energy stored in batteries or consumed by devices is often expressed in milliwatt-hours to provide a precise understanding of small energy quantities. For example, a small sensor may consume several milliwatt-hours over its lifespan, or a battery may have a capacity of a few thousand milliwatt-hours.

While less common than watt-hours or joules, milliwatt-hours are valuable for detailed, low-precision energy management in fields like IoT (Internet of Things), wearable technology, and energy harvesting systems. Understanding this unit helps in designing energy-efficient systems, ensuring optimal resource use, and accurately measuring small amounts of electrical energy over time.