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The TNT equivalent is a a unit of energy commonly used to quantify the energy released (or "yielded") in explosions. The ton (or tonne)[note 1] of TNT equivalent is equal to 4.184 gigajoules (GJ)[1] which is approximately the amount of energy released in the detonation of one ton of TNT[note 2].
The units, kiloton and megaton of TNT, have commonly been used to rate the energy yield, and hence destructive power, of nuclear weapons. These units have been used in various nuclear weapon control treaties[2] as well as in numerous article and books.
Amounts, symbols and energy yields
Various tonnages of TNT equivalent energy and their commonly used energy yield expressions are tabulated below:
| Amount of TNT equivalent |
Symbol | Energy yield (three equal expressions) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ton | t | 4.184 gigajoules | 4.184 GJ | 4.184×109 J |
| kiloton | kt | 4.184 terajoules | 4.184 TJ | 4.184×1012 J |
| megaton | Mt | 4.184 petajoules | 4.184 PJ | 4.184×1015 J |
| gigaton | Gt | 4.184 exajoules | 4.184 EJ | 4.184×1015 J |
Some example usages
Notes
- ↑ The "ton" usually refers to the "short ton" that is a U.S. customary unit equal to 2,000 pounds which, in turn, equals 0.907 tonne (the metric ton which is 1,000 kilograms). In the context of using TNT equivalents, a ton is taken to be synonymous with a tonne and both are defined as being equal to 1,000 kilograms.
- ↑ TNT is trintrotoluene, a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. Its IUPAC name is 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene.
References
- ↑ NIST Guide to SI Units, Appendix B.8 Factors for Units Listed Alphabetically NIST defines the ton of TNT equivalent as being exactly 4.184 GJ.
- ↑ F.A. Long (October 1976). "Peaceful Nuclear Explosions". The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 32 (8): pp. 18-28.