Proving Energy Conservation: Joule's Paddle Wheel Experiment

Miacademy & MiaPrep Learning Channel

This educational video tells the story of James Prescott Joule and his famous paddle wheel experiment which established the mechanical equivalent of heat. It begins with Joule's background working in his family's brewery, where he first observed the connection between mechanical work and heat generation. The narrative then details his meticulous experiment in 1845, using clear 3D animations to show how falling weights turned a paddle wheel in water, converting gravitational potential energy into heat via friction.