The symbol for heat is Q.
While the rate of heating is measured in watts (W), which are joules per second, the quantity of heat itself is represented by the symbol Q. This convention was introduced by Rudolf Clausius and Macquorn Rankine around 1859. Heat, represented by Q, is a form of energy, and its unit is the joule (J) in the International System of Units (SI).
Therefore, when you see the variable "Q" in physics or thermodynamics equations, it generally refers to the amount of heat transferred or exchanged in a process.
