A joule (abbreviated J) is a unit of energy or work. It is used to measure the amount of work done when a force of one newton displaces a mass through a distance of one meter in the direction of the force applied. In mechanical systems, it is the force of one newton moving an object a distance of one meter. In electronics, it is the amount of energy, in electrical units, and one joule is one watt of power applied for one second (a watt-second) or a coulomb of electrical charge raised to a potential of one volt. One joule is also equal to the energy dissipated as heat when an electric current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second. The joule is named after the English physicist James Prescott Joule.