OK we need to measure energy sometimes in life, dieters, electric power bills and scientists all need a means of expressing how much energy.
There is the joule (defined by a force and a distance), the foot pound, the electron volt, British Thermal Unit (defined as the energy required to heat a volume of water by 1 degree F), calorie, the horsepower-hour, kilotons of TNT (for nuclear bomb yields), ergs and some others.
I am not sure what would be the most silly energy unit, but my suggestion if anyone wants a silly unit is the elephant inch. It is the energy required to lift the average elephant one inch and we will define the standard as being done at Camden lock which is close to London Zoo. Please write in using the comments if you think you can devise a more silly unit of energy, please do not worry I will not be replacing the joule and the electron volt in my teaching with the elephant inch.
