Btu (I.T., pre-1956)
The Btu (I.T., pre-1956) refers to the International Table Btu, a specific definition used before 1956. It represents the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at a constant pressure of one atmosphere.
Btu (I.T.)
The British thermal unit (International Table), Btu (IT), is about 1,055 joules, roughly the energy needed to warm one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. In the United States air conditioners and furnaces are rated in Btu per hour.