What is Horse Power?

Horse Power? That idea brings to mind a horse pulling some weight. It also brings to mind the numbers used by car manufacturers to promote their latest car creation. But, what exactly is a the measure of one horse power?

The definition of a horse power came from James Watt, the inventor of the steam engine and the person after whom the unit of power Watt was named. Since in Watt's times, engines were replacing horses, Watt used a horse to compare the capabilities of an engine. Watt calculated that a horse, attached to a mill, would walk a circumference of 75.4 feet and would pull with a force of 180 pounds. Watt then also calculated that a horse traveled at a speed of 181 feet per minute. By multiplying 181x180, Watt came up with 32,580ft-libs/minute. This was then rounded off to 33,00ft-lbs/minute, which is the figure that is now used to define a horse power.

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