A unit of measurement for mechanical power, originally based on the work capability of a draft horse.
Coined by Scottish engineer James Watt around 1782 to market his steam engines by comparing their output to familiar horse labor. He calculated that a horse could turn a mill wheel 144 times per hour with a 12-foot radius.
One horsepower equals 746 watts, but ironically, a healthy horse can actually produce about 15 horsepower for short bursts - Watt's calculation was quite conservative and based on continuous work rather than peak performance.
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