Orders of magnitude (energy) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

This list compares various energies

Energy

In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...

in joule

Joule

The joule ; symbol J) is a derived unit of energy or work in the International System of Units. It is equal to the energy expended in applying a force of one newton through a distance of one metre , or in passing an electric current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second...

s (J), organized by order of magnitude

Order of magnitude

An order of magnitude is the class of scale or magnitude of any amount, where each class contains values of a fixed ratio to the class preceding it. In its most common usage, the amount being scaled is 10 and the scale is the exponent being applied to this amount...

List of orders of magnitude for energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
Factor (Joules)	SI International System of Units The International System of Units is the modern form of the metric system and is generally a system of units of measurement devised around seven base units and the convenience of the number ten. The older metric system included several groups of units... prefix SI prefix The International System of Units specifies a set of unit prefixes known as SI prefixes or metric prefixes. An SI prefix is a name that precedes a basic unit of measure to indicate a decadic multiple or fraction of the unit. Each prefix has a unique symbol that is prepended to the unit symbol...	Value	Item
10⁻³¹		3.0×10⁻³¹ J	average kinetic energy Kinetic energy The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes... of a molecule Molecule A molecule is an electrically neutral group of at least two atoms held together by covalent chemical bonds. Molecules are distinguished from ions by their electrical charge... at the lowest temperature reached
10⁻²⁸		6.6×10⁻²⁸ J	energy of a typical AM radio photon (1 MHz) (4×10⁻⁹ eV Electronvolt In physics, the electron volt is a unit of energy equal to approximately joule . By definition, it is equal to the amount of kinetic energy gained by a single unbound electron when it accelerates through an electric potential difference of one volt... )
10⁻²⁴	yocto- (yJ)	1.6×10⁻²⁴ J	energy of a typical microwave oven Microwave oven A microwave oven is a kitchen appliance that heats food by dielectric heating, using microwave radiation to heat polarized molecules within the food... photon (2.45 GHz) (1×10⁻⁵ eV Electronvolt In physics, the electron volt is a unit of energy equal to approximately joule . By definition, it is equal to the amount of kinetic energy gained by a single unbound electron when it accelerates through an electric potential difference of one volt... )
10⁻²³		1.5×10⁻²³ J	average kinetic energy of a molecule in the Boomerang Nebula Boomerang Nebula The Boomerang Nebula is a protoplanetary nebula located 5,000 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Centaurus. The nebula is measured at , the naturally coldest place currently known in the Universe. The Boomerang Nebula was formed from the outflow of gas from a star at its core... , the coldest place known outside of a laboratory, at a temperature of 1 kelvin Kelvin The kelvin is a unit of measurement for temperature. It is one of the seven base units in the International System of Units and is assigned the unit symbol K. The Kelvin scale is an absolute, thermodynamic temperature scale using as its null point absolute zero, the temperature at which all...
10⁻²²		2-3000×10⁻²² J	energy of infrared Infrared Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm... light photons
10⁻²¹	zepto- (zJ)	2.1×10⁻²¹ J	thermal energy Thermal energy Thermal energy is the part of the total internal energy of a thermodynamic system or sample of matter that results in the system's temperature.... in each degree of freedom Degrees of freedom (physics and chemistry) A degree of freedom is an independent physical parameter, often called a dimension, in the formal description of the state of a physical system... of a molecule at 25 °C (kT/2) (0.01 eV Electronvolt In physics, the electron volt is a unit of energy equal to approximately joule . By definition, it is equal to the amount of kinetic energy gained by a single unbound electron when it accelerates through an electric potential difference of one volt... )
		3-7×10⁻²¹ J	energy of a van der Waals interaction Van der Waals force In physical chemistry, the van der Waals force , named after Dutch scientist Johannes Diderik van der Waals, is the sum of the attractive or repulsive forces between molecules other than those due to covalent bonds or to the electrostatic interaction of ions with one another or with neutral... between atoms (0.02-0.04 eV)
		4.1×10⁻²¹ J	"kT" at 25 °C, a common rough approximation for the total thermal energy Thermal energy Thermal energy is the part of the total internal energy of a thermodynamic system or sample of matter that results in the system's temperature.... of each molecule in a system (0.03 eV)
		7-22×10⁻²¹ J	energy of a hydrogen bond Hydrogen bond A hydrogen bond is the attractive interaction of a hydrogen atom with an electronegative atom, such as nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine, that comes from another molecule or chemical group. The hydrogen must be covalently bonded to another electronegative atom to create the bond... (0.04 to 0.13 eV)
10⁻²⁰
10⁻¹⁹		1.6×10⁻¹⁹ J	≈1 electronvolt Electronvolt In physics, the electron volt is a unit of energy equal to approximately joule . By definition, it is equal to the amount of kinetic energy gained by a single unbound electron when it accelerates through an electric potential difference of one volt... (eV)
		3–5×10⁻¹⁹ J	energy range of photon Photon In physics, a photon is an elementary particle, the quantum of the electromagnetic interaction and the basic unit of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation. It is also the force carrier for the electromagnetic force... s in visible light
		3-14×10⁻¹⁹ J	energy of a covalent bond Covalent bond A covalent bond is a form of chemical bonding that is characterized by the sharing of pairs of electrons between atoms. The stable balance of attractive and repulsive forces between atoms when they share electrons is known as covalent bonding.... (2-9 eV)
		5-200×10⁻¹⁹ J	energy of ultraviolet Ultraviolet Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV... light photons
10⁻¹⁸	atto- (aJ)	5.0×10⁻¹⁸ J	upper bound of the mass-energy of a neutrino Neutrino A neutrino is an electrically neutral, weakly interacting elementary subatomic particle with a half-integer spin, chirality and a disputed but small non-zero mass. It is able to pass through ordinary matter almost unaffected... in particle physics Particle physics Particle physics is a branch of physics that studies the existence and interactions of particles that are the constituents of what is usually referred to as matter or radiation. In current understanding, particles are excitations of quantum fields and interact following their dynamics...
10⁻¹⁷		2-2000×10⁻¹⁷ J	energy range of X-ray X-ray X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma... photons
10⁻¹⁶
10⁻¹⁵	femto- Femto- Femto- is a prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of 10−15 or . Adopted by the 11th Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures, it was added in 1964 to the SI... (fJ)
10⁻¹⁴		> 2×10⁻¹⁴ J	energy of gamma ray Gamma ray Gamma radiation, also known as gamma rays or hyphenated as gamma-rays and denoted as γ, is electromagnetic radiation of high frequency . Gamma rays are usually naturally produced on Earth by decay of high energy states in atomic nuclei... photons
		2.7×10⁻¹⁴ J	upper bound of the mass-energy of a muon neutrino Muon neutrino The muon neutrino is a subatomic lepton elementary particle which has the symbol and no net electric charge. Together with the muon it forms the second generation of leptons, hence its name muon neutrino. It was first hypothesized in the early 1940s by several people, and was discovered in 1962 by...
		8.2×10⁻¹⁴ J	rest mass-energy of an electron Electron The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative elementary electric charge. It has no known components or substructure; in other words, it is generally thought to be an elementary particle. An electron has a mass that is approximately 1/1836 that of the proton...
10⁻¹³		1.6×10⁻¹³ J	1 megaelectronvolt (MeV)
10⁻¹²	pico- (pJ)	2.3×10⁻¹² J	kinetic energy of neutrons produced by D-T fusion, used to trigger fission (14.1 MeV)
10⁻¹¹		3.2×10⁻¹¹ J	average total energy released in the nuclear fission Nuclear fission In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts , often producing free neutrons and photons , and releasing a tremendous amount of energy... of one uranium-235 Uranium-235 - References :* .* DOE Fundamentals handbook: Nuclear Physics and Reactor theory , .* A piece of U-235 the size of a grain of rice can produce energy equal to that contained in three tons of coal or fourteen barrels of oil. -External links:* * * one of the earliest articles on U-235 for the... atom Atom The atom is a basic unit of matter that consists of a dense central nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons. The atomic nucleus contains a mix of positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons... (215 MeV)
10⁻¹¹		3.5×10⁻¹¹ J	average total energy released in the fission of one plutonium-239 Plutonium-239 Plutonium-239 is an isotope of plutonium. Plutonium-239 is the primary fissile isotope used for the production of nuclear weapons, although uranium-235 has also been used and is currently the secondary isotope. Plutonium-239 is also one of the three main isotopes demonstrated usable as fuel in... atom
10⁻¹⁰		1.503×10⁻¹⁰ J	rest mass-energy of a proton Proton The proton is a subatomic particle with the symbol or and a positive electric charge of 1 elementary charge. One or more protons are present in the nucleus of each atom, along with neutrons. The number of protons in each atom is its atomic number....
		1.505×10⁻¹⁰ J	rest mass-energy of a neutron Neutron The neutron is a subatomic hadron particle which has the symbol or , no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. With the exception of hydrogen, nuclei of atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of...
		1.6×10⁻¹⁰ J	1 gigaelectronvolt (GeV)
		3.0×10⁻¹⁰ J	rest mass-energy of a deuteron
		6.0×10⁻¹⁰ J	rest mass-energy of an alpha particle Alpha particle Alpha particles consist of two protons and two neutrons bound together into a particle identical to a helium nucleus, which is classically produced in the process of alpha decay, but may be produced also in other ways and given the same name...
10⁻⁹	nano- (nJ)	1.6×10⁻⁹ J	10 GeV
10⁻⁹	nano- (nJ)	8×10⁻⁹ J	initial operating energy per beam of the CERN CERN The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border... Large Electron Positron Collider in 1989 (50 GeV)
10⁻⁸		1.3×10⁻⁸ J	mass-energy of a W boson (80.4 GeV)
		1.5×10⁻⁸ J	mass-energy of a Z boson (91.2 GeV)
		1.6×10⁻⁸ J	100 GeV
		6.4×10⁻⁸ J	operating energy per proton of the CERN CERN The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border... Super Proton Synchrotron Super Proton Synchrotron The Super Proton Synchrotron is a particle accelerator of the synchrotron type at CERN. It is housed in a circular tunnel, in circumference, straddling the border of France and Switzerland near Geneva, Switzerland. The SPS was designed by a team led by John Adams, director-general of what was... accelerator in 1976
10⁻⁷		1×10⁻⁷ J	≡ 1 erg Erg An erg is the unit of energy and mechanical work in the centimetre-gram-second system of units, symbol "erg". Its name is derived from the Greek ergon, meaning "work"....
		1.6×10⁻⁷ J	one TeV (teraelectronvolt), about the kinetic energy of a flying mosquito Mosquito Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
		5.6×10⁻⁷ J	energy per proton beam in the CERN CERN The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border... Large Hadron Collider Large Hadron Collider The Large Hadron Collider is the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. It is expected to address some of the most fundamental questions of physics, advancing the understanding of the deepest laws of nature.... in 2011 (3.5 TeV)
10⁻⁶	micro- (µJ)
10⁻⁵		2×10⁻⁵ J	energy to pronounce an average syllable Syllable A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is typically made up of a syllable nucleus with optional initial and final margins .Syllables are often considered the phonological "building... of a word
10⁻⁵		3×10⁻⁵ J	energy of one second of moonlight falling upon a human face
10⁻⁴		9×10⁻⁴ J	energy of a cricket's chirp
10⁻³	milli- (mJ)
10⁻²	centi- (cJ)
10⁻¹	deci- (dJ)	1×10⁻¹ J	energy of an American half-dollar Half dollar (United States coin) Half dollar coins have been produced nearly every year since the inception of the United States Mint in 1794. Sometimes referred to as the fifty-cent piece, the only U.S. coin that has been minted more consistently is the cent.-Circulation:... falling 1 metre
10⁻¹	deci- (dJ)	1x10⁻¹ J	energy required to press a typewriter Typewriter A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces... key
10⁰	J	1 J	≡ 1 N·m (newton–metre Metre The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology... )
		1 J	≡ 1 W·s (watt Watt The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:... -second)
		1 J	kinetic energy produced as a small apple (100 grams) falls one meter against Earth's gravity
		1 J	energy required to heat 1 gram of dry, cool air Earth's atmosphere The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night... by 1 degree Celsius Celsius Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
		1.4 J	≈ 1 ft·lbf (foot-pound force Foot-pound force The foot-pound force, or simply foot-pound is a unit of work or energy in the Engineering and Gravitational Systems in United States customary and Imperial units of measure. It is the energy transferred on applying a force of 1 pound-force through a displacement of 1 foot... )
		4.184 J	≡ 1 thermochemical calorie Calorie The calorie is a pre-SI metric unit of energy. It was first defined by Nicolas Clément in 1824 as a unit of heat, entering French and English dictionaries between 1841 and 1867. In most fields its use is archaic, having been replaced by the SI unit of energy, the joule... (small calorie)
		4.1868 J	≡ 1 International (Steam) Table calorie
		~5 J	energy stored in a disposable camera Disposable camera The disposable or single-use camera is a simple box camera sold with a roll of film installed, meant to be used once. Most use fixed-focus lenses. Some are equipped with an integrated flash unit, and there are even waterproof versions for underwater photography... photoflash capacitor Capacitor A capacitor is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy in an electric field. The forms of practical capacitors vary widely, but all contain at least two electrical conductors separated by a dielectric ; for example, one common construction consists of metal foils separated... (100 µF @ 330 V)
		8 J	Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin limit The Greisen–Zatsepin–Kuzmin limit is a theoretical upper limit on the energy of cosmic rays coming from "distant" sources. The limit is 5×1019 eV, or about 8 joules. The limit is set by slowing-interactions of cosmic ray protons with the microwave background radiation over long distances... theoretical upper limit for the energy of a cosmic ray Cosmic ray Cosmic rays are energetic charged subatomic particles, originating from outer space. They may produce secondary particles that penetrate the Earth's atmosphere and surface. The term ray is historical as cosmic rays were thought to be electromagnetic radiation... coming from a distant source
10¹	deca- (daJ)	5×10¹ J	most energetic cosmic ray Ultra-high-energy cosmic ray In astroparticle physics, an ultra-high-energy cosmic ray or extreme-energy cosmic ray is a cosmic ray with an extreme kinetic energy, far beyond both its rest mass and energies typical of other cosmic rays.... ever detected, in 1991
10¹	deca- (daJ)	8×10¹ J	kinetic energy of an average person swinging a baseball bat Baseball bat A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. It is no more than 2.75 inches in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches in length. It typically weighs no more than 33 ounces , but it...
10²	hecto- (hJ)	3×10² J	energy of a lethal dose of X-ray X-ray X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma... s
		3.9×10² J	kinetic energy of 800 g standard men's javelin Javelin throw The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon... thrown at 31.1 m/s by the world record holder Jan Železný Jan Železný Jan Železný is a Czech javelin thrower, world and Olympic champion and world record holder in javelin throw...
		3.9×10² J	kinetic energy of an average person jumping as high as they can
		6.0×10² J	kinetic energy of 2 kg standard men's discus Discus throw The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus... thrown at 24.4 m/s by the world record holder Jürgen Schult Jürgen Schult Jürgen Schult is a former German track and field athlete and the current world record holder in the discus throw since 1986, currently the longest standing record in men's track and field...
		6×10² J	use of a 10-watt flashlight for one minute
		7.5×10² J	a power of one horsepower Horsepower Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the... applied for one second
		7.8×10² J	kinetic energy of 7.26 kg standard men's shot Shot put The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action.... thrown at 14.7 m/s by the world record holder Randy Barnes Randy Barnes Eric Randolph Barnes is a former American shot putter who holds both the current outdoor and indoor World Records for the event. He won silver at the 1988 Olympics and gold at the 1996 Olympics....
10³	kilo- (kJ)	1×10³ J	energy stored in a typical photography Photography Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film... studio strobe light
		1.1×10³ J	≈ 1 British thermal unit British thermal unit The British thermal unit is a traditional unit of energy equal to about 1055 joules. It is approximately the amount of energy needed to heat of water, which is exactly one tenth of a UK gallon or about 0.1198 US gallons, from 39°F to 40°F... (BTU), depending on the temperature Temperature Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
		1.2×10³ J	energy in shooting an elephant gun Elephant gun An elephant gun is a large caliber gun, rifled or otherwise, so named because they were originally developed for use by big-game hunters for elephants and other large dangerous game. They used black powder at first but then started using smokeless powder...
		1.4×10³ J	total solar radiation received from the Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... by one square meter of the Earth's surface per second (solar constant Solar constant The solar constant, a measure of flux density, is the amount of incoming solar electromagnetic radiation per unit area that would be incident on a plane perpendicular to the rays, at a distance of one astronomical unit... )
		1.4×10³ J	kinetic energy of a 3.5 g 5.45x39mm 5.45x39mm The Soviet 5.45×39mm cartridge is a rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge. It was introduced into service in 1974 for use with the new AK-74 assault rifle. It gradually supplemented then largely replaced the 7.62x39mm round in service.... M74 M74 M74 or M-74 may refer to:* M74 motorway, a motorway in Scotland* Messier 74, a spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces* M74 rocket, an incendiary rocket for a shoulder-fired M202A1 FLASH launcher... AK-74 AK-74 The AK-74 is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970s in the Soviet Union as the replacement for the earlier AKM... bullet Bullet A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration... fired at 900 m/s
		3.4×10³ J	kinetic energy of 7.26 kg standard men's hammer Hammer throw The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown... thrown at 30.7 m/s by the world record holder Yuriy Sedykh Yuriy Sedykh Yuriy Georgiyevich Sedykh is a retired Soviet/Ukrainian athlete who represented the USSR, specialising in the hammer throw....
		3.6 ×10³ J	≡ 1 W·h (watt Watt The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:... -hour)
		4.2×10³ J	energy released by explosion of 1 gram of TNT
		4.2×10³ J	≡ 1 food Calorie Calorie The calorie is a pre-SI metric unit of energy. It was first defined by Nicolas Clément in 1824 as a unit of heat, entering French and English dictionaries between 1841 and 1867. In most fields its use is archaic, having been replaced by the SI unit of energy, the joule... (large calorie)
10⁴		1.7×10⁴ J	energy released by the metabolism Metabolism Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories... of 1 gram of carbohydrates or protein Protein Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
		3.8×10⁴ J	energy released by the metabolism of 1 gram of fat Fat Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure...
		4-5×10⁴ J	energy released by the combustion Combustion Combustion or burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The release of heat can result in the production of light in the form of either glowing or a flame... of 1 gram of gasoline Gasoline Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
		5×10⁴ J	kinetic energy of 1 gram of matter moving at 10 km/s
10⁵		2×10⁵ J—9×10⁵ J	average kinetic energy Kinetic energy The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes... of an automobile Automobile An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor... at highway speeds
		5×10⁵ J	Kinetic energy of 1 gram of a meteor METEOR METEOR is a metric for the evaluation of machine translation output. The metric is based on the harmonic mean of unigram precision and recall, with recall weighted higher than precision... hitting Earth
		9×10⁵ J	energy required to accelerate a 4-ton truck up to highway speeds
10⁶	mega- (MJ)	1×10⁶ J	kinetic energy Kinetic energy The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes... of a one tonne Tonne The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI... vehicle at 45 metres per second (100 miles per hour)
		1.2×10⁶ J	approximately the food energy Food energy Food energy is the amount of energy obtained from food that is available through cellular respiration.Food energy is expressed in food calories or kilojoules... of a snack such as a Snickers bar (280 food calories)
		3.6×10⁶ J	= 1 kilowatt-hour (electricity consumption)
		9.6×10⁶ J	recommended food energy intake per day for a moderately active woman (2000 food calories)
10⁷		1×10⁷ J	energy of a day's worth of heavy labour
		1.3×10⁷ J	recommended food energy intake per day for a moderately active man (2600 food calories)
		6.3×10⁷ J	theoretical minimum energy required to accelerate 1 kg of matter to escape velocity Escape velocity In physics, escape velocity is the speed at which the kinetic energy plus the gravitational potential energy of an object is zero gravitational potential energy is negative since gravity is an attractive force and the potential is defined to be zero at infinity... from Earth's surface (ignoring atmosphere)
10⁸		1×10⁸ J	kinetic energy of a 55 tonne aircraft at typical landing speed (59 m/s or 115 knots)
		1.1×10⁸ J	≈ 1 therm Therm The therm is a non-SI unit of heat energy equal to 100,000 British thermal units . It is approximately the energy equivalent of burning 100 cubic feet of natural gas.... , depending on the temperature
		1.1×10⁸ J	≈ 1 Tour de France Tour de France The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The... , or 90 hours ridden at 5 W/kg by a 65 kg rider
		7.3×10⁸ J	≈ energy from burning 16 kilograms of oil (using 135 kg per barrel of light crude)
10⁹	giga- (GJ)	1-10×10⁹ J	energy in an average lightning Lightning Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms... bolt
		1.4x10⁹ J	theoretical minimum amount of energy required to melt a tonne of steel (380 kW·h)
		1.6×10⁹ J	magnetic stored energy in the world's largest toroidal superconducting magnet Superconducting magnet A superconducting magnet is an electromagnet made from coils of superconducting wire. They must be cooled to cryogenic temperatures during operation. In its superconducting state the wire can conduct much larger electric currents than ordinary wire, creating intense magnetic fields... for the ATLAS experiment ATLAS experiment ATLAS is one of the six particle detector experiments constructed at the Large Hadron Collider , a new particle accelerator at the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland... at CERN CERN The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border... , Geneva
		2.0×10⁹ J	Planck energy, the unit of energy in Planck units Planck units In physics, Planck units are physical units of measurement defined exclusively in terms of five universal physical constants listed below, in such a manner that these five physical constants take on the numerical value of 1 when expressed in terms of these units. Planck units elegantly simplify...
		2.5×10⁹ J	approximate average amount of energy expended by a human heart muscle Muscle Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to... over an 80-year lifetime
		3.2×10⁹ J	approximate annual Year A year is the orbital period of the Earth moving around the Sun. For an observer on Earth, this corresponds to the period it takes the Sun to complete one course throughout the zodiac along the ecliptic.... energy Energy In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems... usage of a standard clothes dryer Clothes dryer A clothes dryer or tumble dryer is a household appliance that is used to remove moisture from a load of clothing and other textiles, generally shortly after they are cleaned in a washing machine....
		6.1×10⁹ J	≈ 1 bboe (barrel of oil equivalent Barrel of oil equivalent The barrel of oil equivalent is a unit of energy based on the approximate energy released by burning one barrel of crude oil. The US Internal Revenue Service defines it as equal to 5.8 × 106 BTU... )
10¹⁰		2.3×10¹⁰ J	kinetic energy of an Airbus A380 Airbus A380 The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it... at cruising speed (560 tonnes at 562 knots or 289 m/s)
		4.2×10¹⁰ J	≈ 1 toe (ton of oil equivalent Ton of oil equivalent The tonne of oil equivalent is a unit of energy: the amount of energy released by burning one tonne of crude oil, approximately 42 GJ .The toe is sometimes used for large... )
		5×10¹⁰ J	yield energy of a MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast) bomb Bomb A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy... , the second most powerful non-nuclear weapon ever designed (after the Russian Father of All Bombs)
		7.2×10¹⁰ J	energy consumed by the average U.S. automobile in the year 2000
		8.6×10¹⁰ J	≈ 1 MW·d (megawatt-day), used in the context of power plants
10¹¹
10¹²	tera- (TJ)	3.6×10¹² J	1 GWh average orbital kinetic energy of the Mir Mir Mir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the... space station (124 tonnes at about 7680 m/s) max fuel energy of an Airbus A330 Airbus A330 The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo.... -300 (97,530 liters of Jet A-1 at 34.7 MJ/L) electricity generated by one 20kg CANDU fuel bundle
		6.4×10¹² J	energy contained in jet fuel in a Boeing 747 Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced... -100B aircraft at max fuel capacity (183,380 liters of Jet A-1 at 34.7 MJ/L)
		8.2×10¹² J	orbital kinetic energy of the International Space Station International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes... (277 tonnes at 7710 m/s)
10¹³		1.1×10¹³ J	energy of the maximum fuel an Airbus A380 Airbus A380 The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it... can carry (320,000 liters of Jet A-1 at 34.7 MJ/L)
		3.6×10¹³ J	released by an average thunderstorm Thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...

		8.8×10¹³ J	yield of the Fat Man Fat Man "Fat Man" is the codename for the atomic bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, by the United States on August 9, 1945. It was the second of the only two nuclear weapons to be used in warfare to date , and its detonation caused the third man-made nuclear explosion. The name also refers more... atomic bomb used in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... (21 kilotons)
9.0×10¹³ J	theoretical total mass-energy of 1 gram of matter
10¹⁴		6×10¹⁴ J	energy released by an average hurricane in one second
10¹⁵	peta- (PJ)	2.1×10¹⁵ J	yearly electricity Electricity Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire... consumption in Togo Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately... , Africa as of 2005
10¹⁵	peta- (PJ)	4.2×10¹⁵ J	energy released by explosion of 1 megaton of TNT TNT equivalent TNT equivalent is a method of quantifying the energy released in explosions. The ton of TNT is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 gigajoules, which is approximately the amount of energy released in the detonation of one ton of TNT...
10¹⁶		1.0×10¹⁶ J	estimated impact energy released in forming Meteor Crater Meteor Crater Meteor Crater is a meteorite impact crater located approximately east of Flagstaff, near Winslow in the northern Arizona desert of the United States. Because the US Department of the Interior Division of Names commonly recognizes names of natural features derived from the nearest post office, the...
		4.4×10¹⁶ J	yearly electricity consumption Electricity consumption Electric energy consumption is the form of energy consumption that uses electric energy.- Overview :Consumption of electric energy is measured by W·h :^).... in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three... as of 2005
		9.0×10¹⁶ J	mass-energy in 1 kilogram of antimatter Antimatter In particle physics, antimatter is the extension of the concept of the antiparticle to matter, where antimatter is composed of antiparticles in the same way that normal matter is composed of particles... (or matter)
10¹⁷		1.1×10¹⁷ J	surface energy of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
		1.7×10¹⁷ J	total energy from the Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... that strikes the face of the Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... each second
		2.1×10¹⁷ J	yield of the Tsar Bomba Tsar Bomba Tsar Bomba is the nickname for the AN602 hydrogen bomb, the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated. It was also referred to as Kuz'kina Mat , in this usage meaning "something that has not been seen before".... , the largest nuclear weapon Nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount... ever tested (50 megatons)
		4.1×10¹⁷ J	yearly electricity consumption Electricity consumption Electric energy consumption is the form of energy consumption that uses electric energy.- Overview :Consumption of electric energy is measured by W·h :^).... of Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... as of 2005
		8.4×10¹⁷ J	estimated energy released by the eruption of the Indonesian volcano, Krakatoa, in 1883 1883 eruption of Krakatoa The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa began in May 1883 and culminated with the destruction of Krakatoa on 27 August 1883. Minor seismic activity continued to be reported until February 1884, though reports after October 1883 were later dismissed by Rogier Verbeek's investigation.-Early phase:In the years...
10¹⁸
10¹⁹		1.3×10¹⁹ J	(Star Trek Star Trek Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise... ) the energy output per second of the fictional starship USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D
		1.4×10¹⁹ J	yearly electricity consumption Electricity consumption Electric energy consumption is the form of energy consumption that uses electric energy.- Overview :Consumption of electric energy is measured by W·h :^).... in the U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... as of 2005
		1.5×10¹⁹J	yearly electricity production in the U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... as of 2005
		5.2×10¹⁹ J	energy released in one day by an average hurricane in producing rain (400 times greater than the wind energy).
		5.7×10¹⁹ J	yearly electricity consumption Electricity consumption Electric energy consumption is the form of energy consumption that uses electric energy.- Overview :Consumption of electric energy is measured by W·h :^).... of the world
		6.3×10¹⁹ J	yearly electricity generation of the world
		6.7×10¹⁹ J	total energy released by the magnitude 8.8 2010 Chile earthquake 2010 Chile earthquake The 2010 Chile earthquake occurred off the coast of central Chile on Saturday, 27 February 2010, at 03:34 local time , having a magnitude of 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale, with intense shaking lasting for about three minutes. It ranks as the sixth largest earthquake ever to be recorded by a...
10²⁰		4.7x10²⁰ J	total world annual energy consumption World energy resources and consumption ]World energy consumption in 2010: over 5% growthEnergy markets have combined crisis recovery and strong industry dynamism. Energy consumption in the G20 soared by more than 5% in 2010, after the slight decrease of 2009. This strong increase is the result of two converging trends... in 2008 (15.04 TW-years)
10²⁰		8.0×10²⁰ J	estimated global uranium Uranium Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons... resources for generating electricity 2005.
10²¹	zetta- (ZJ)	6.5×10²¹ J	estimated energy contained in the world's natural gas Natural gas Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural... reserves as of 2006
10²¹	zetta- (ZJ)	7.4×10²¹ J	estimated energy contained in the world's petroleum Petroleum Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling... reserves as of 2003
10²²		1.5×10²²J	total energy from the Sun that strikes the face of the Earth each day
		2.1×10²² J	estimated energy contained in the world's coal Coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure... reserves as of 2005
		2.9×10²² J	identified global uranium-238 Uranium-238 Uranium-238 is the most common isotope of uranium found in nature. It is not fissile, but is a fertile material: it can capture a slow neutron and after two beta decays become fissile plutonium-239... resources using fast reactor technology.
		3.9×10²² J	estimated energy contained in the world's fossil fuel Fossil fuel Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years... reserves as of 2003
		4×10²² J	estimated total energy released by the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake... , equivalent to approximately 9.5 teratons of TNT
10²³		2.2×10²³ J	total global uranium-238 Uranium-238 Uranium-238 is the most common isotope of uranium found in nature. It is not fissile, but is a fertile material: it can capture a slow neutron and after two beta decays become fissile plutonium-239... resources using fast reactor technology.
10²³		5.0×10²³ J	approximate energy released in the formation of the Chicxulub Crater Chicxulub Crater The Chicxulub crater is an ancient impact crater buried underneath the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Its center is located near the town of Chicxulub, after which the crater is named... in the Yucatán Peninsula Yucatán Peninsula The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
10²⁴	yotta- (YJ)	5.5×10²⁴ J	total energy from the Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... that strikes the face of the Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... each year
10²⁵
10²⁶		1.3×10²⁶ J	conservative estimate of the energy released by the impact that created the Caloris basin Caloris Basin The Caloris Basin, also called Caloris Planitia, is a large impact crater on Mercury about in diameter, one of the largest impact basins in the solar system. Caloris is Latin for heat and the basin is so-named because the Sun is almost directly overhead every second time Mercury passes perihelion... on Mercury Mercury (planet) Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
10²⁶		3.8×10²⁶ J	total energy output of the Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... each second
10²⁷
10²⁸		3.9×10²⁸ J	kinetic energy of the Moon Moon The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more... in its orbit around the Earth
10²⁹		2.1×10²⁹ J	rotational energy Rotational energy The rotational energy or angular kinetic energy is the kinetic energy due to the rotation of an object and is part of its total kinetic energy... of the Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
10³⁰
10³¹		3.3×10³¹ J	total energy output of the Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... each day
10³²		2.2×10³² J	gravitational binding energy Gravitational binding energy The gravitational binding energy of an object consisting of loose material, held together by gravity alone, is the amount of energy required to pull all of the material apart, to infinity... of the Earth
10³³		2.7×10³³ J	Earth's Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... kinetic energy in its orbit
10³⁴		1.2×10³⁴ J	total energy output of the Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... each year
10⁴¹		5.4×10⁴¹ J	theoretical total mass-energy of the Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
10⁴¹		6.9×10⁴¹ J	gravitational binding energy of the Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
10⁴³ \|		5×10⁴³ J	Total energy of all gamma rays in a typical gamma-ray burst
10⁴⁴ \|		1.2×10⁴⁴ J	estimated energy released in a supernova Supernova A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months... ; sometimes referred to as a foe
10⁴⁶		1×10⁴⁶ J	estimated energy released in a hypernova Hypernova Hypernova , also known as a type 1c Supernova, refers to an incredibly large star that collapses at the end of its lifespan...
10⁴⁷		1.8×10⁴⁷ J	theoretical total mass-energy of the Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
10⁵⁸		4×10⁵⁸ J	visible mass-energy in our galaxy Galaxy A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a... , the Milky Way Milky Way The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
10⁵⁹		1×10⁵⁹ J	total mass-energy of the galaxy, including dark matter Dark matter In astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is matter that neither emits nor scatters light or other electromagnetic radiation, and so cannot be directly detected via optical or radio astronomy... and dark energy Dark energy In physical cosmology, astronomy and celestial mechanics, dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that permeates all of space and tends to accelerate the expansion of the universe. Dark energy is the most accepted theory to explain recent observations that the universe appears to be expanding...
10⁶²		2×10⁶² J	total mass-energy of the Local Supercluster, including dark matter Dark matter In astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is matter that neither emits nor scatters light or other electromagnetic radiation, and so cannot be directly detected via optical or radio astronomy...
10⁶⁹		4×10⁶⁹ J	estimated total mass-energy of the observable universe Observable universe In Big Bang cosmology, the observable universe consists of the galaxies and other matter that we can in principle observe from Earth in the present day, because light from those objects has had time to reach us since the beginning of the cosmological expansion...

SI multiples

See also