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Why is the unit of power called the watt?
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James Watt
James Watt, oil painting by H. Howard; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
The unit of power known as the watt is named in honor of the Scottish engineer and inventor James Watt.
This naming recognizes his substantial contributions to science and industry, most notably his development of the Watt steam engine. By introducing the separate condenser and other mechanical improvements, Watt created the first truly efficient steam engine, which became a primary driver of the Industrial Revolution.123
In the International System of Units (SI), one watt is defined as the power required to perform one joule of work per second.13