This list compares various energies in joules (J), organized by order of magnitude.

Below 1 J

More information Factor (joules), SI prefix ...
List of orders of magnitude for energy
Factor (joules) SI prefix Value Item
10−34 6.626×10−34 JEnergy of a photon with a frequency of 1 hertz.[1]
 8×10−34 JAverage kinetic energy of translational motion of a molecule at the lowest temperature reached (38 picokelvin[2] as of 2021)
10−30quecto- (qJ)
10−28   6.6×10−28 J Energy of a typical AM radio photon (1 MHz) (4×10−9 eV)[3]
10−27ronto- (rJ)
10−24yocto- (yJ) 1.6×10−24 J Energy of a typical microwave oven photon (2.45 GHz) (1×10−5 eV)[4][5]
10−23 2×10−23 JAverage kinetic energy of translational motion of a molecule in the Boomerang Nebula, the coldest place known outside of a laboratory, at a temperature of 1 kelvin[6][7]
10−22   2–3000×10−22 J Energy of infrared light photons[8]
10−21 zepto- (zJ) 1.7×10−21 J 1 kJ/mol, converted to energy per molecule[9]
2.1×10−21 J Thermal energy in each degree of freedom of a molecule at 25 °C (kT/2) (0.01 eV)[10]
2.856×10−21 J By Landauer's principle, the minimum amount of energy required at 25 °C to change one bit of information
3–7×10−21 J Energy of a van der Waals interaction between atoms (0.02–0.04 eV)[11][12]
4.1×10−21 J The "kT" constant at 25 °C, a common rough approximation for the total thermal energy of each molecule in a system (0.03 eV)[13]
7–22×10−21 J Energy of a hydrogen bond (0.04 to 0.13 eV)[11][14]
10−20   4.5×10−20 J Upper bound of the mass–energy of a neutrino in particle physics (0.28 eV)[15][16]
10−19   1.602176634×10−19 J1 electronvolt (eV) by definition. This value is exact as a result of the 2019 revision of SI units.[17]
3–5×10−19 JEnergy range of photons in visible light (≈1.6–3.1 eV)[18][19]
3–14×10−19 J Energy of a covalent bond (2–9 eV)[11][20]
5–200×10−19 J Energy of ultraviolet light photons[8]
10−18 atto- (aJ) 1.78×10−18 J Bond dissociation energy for the carbon monoxide (CO) triple bond, alternatively stated: 1072 kJ/mol; 11.11eV per molecule.[21]

This is the strongest chemical bond known.

2.18×10−18 JGround state ionization energy of hydrogen (13.6 eV)
10−17   2–2000×10−17 J Energy range of X-ray photons[8]
10−16   
10−15femto- (fJ)3 × 10−15 JAverage kinetic energy of one human red blood cell.[22][23][24]
10−14   1×10−14 J Sound energy (vibration) transmitted to the eardrums by listening to a whisper for one second.[25][26][27]
> 2×10−14 J Energy of gamma ray photons[8]
2.7×10−14 JUpper bound of the mass–energy of a muon neutrino[28][29]
8.2×10−14 JRest mass–energy of an electron[30] (0.511 MeV)[31]
10−13   1.6×10−13 J1 megaelectronvolt (MeV)[32]
2.3×10−13 JEnergy released by a single event of two protons fusing into deuterium (1.44 megaelectronvolt MeV)[33]
10−12pico- (pJ)2.3×10−12 JKinetic energy of neutrons produced by DT fusion, used to trigger fission (14.1 MeV)[34][35]
10−11   3.4×10−11 JAverage total energy released in the nuclear fission of one uranium-235 atom (215 MeV)[36][37]
10−10   1.492×10−10 J Mass-energy equivalent of 1 Da[38] (931.5 MeV)[39]
1.503×10−10 JRest mass–energy of a proton[40] (938.3 MeV)[41]
1.505×10−10 JRest mass–energy of a neutron[42] (939.6 MeV)[43]
1.6×10−10 J1 gigaelectronvolt (GeV)[44]
3×10−10 JRest mass–energy of a deuteron[45]
6×10−10 JRest mass–energy of an alpha particle[46]
7×10−10 JEnergy required to raise a grain of sand by 0.1mm (the thickness of a piece of paper).[47]
10−9 nano- (nJ) 1.6×10−9 J10 GeV[48]
8×10−9 JInitial operating energy per beam of the CERN Large Electron Positron Collider in 1989 (50 GeV)[49][50]
10−8   1.3×10−8 JMass–energy of a W boson (80.4 GeV)[51][52]
1.5×10−8 JMass–energy of a Z boson (91.2 GeV)[53][54]
1.6×10−8 J100 GeV[55]
2×10−8 JMass–energy of the Higgs Boson (125.1 GeV)[56]
6.4×10−8 JOperating energy per proton of the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron accelerator in 1976[57][58]
10−7   1×10−7 J≡ 1 erg[59]
1.6×10−7 J1 TeV (teraelectronvolt),[60] about the kinetic energy of a flying mosquito[61]
10−6micro- (μJ)1.04×10−6 JEnergy per proton in the CERN Large Hadron Collider in 2015 (6.5 TeV)[62][63]
10−5   
10−4 1.0×10−4 JEnergy released by a typical radioluminescent wristwatch in 1 hour[64][65] (1 μCi × 4.871 MeV × 1 hr)
10−3milli- (mJ)3.0×10−3 JEnergy released by a P100 atomic battery in 1 hour[66] (2.4 V × 350 nA × 1 hr)
10−2centi- (cJ)4.0×10−2 JUse of a typical LED for 1 second[67] (2.0 V × 20 mA × 1 s)
10−1 deci- (dJ) 1.1×10−1 JEnergy of an American half-dollar falling 1 metre[68][69]
Close

1 to 105 J

More information Factor (joules), SI prefix ...
List of orders of magnitude for energy
Factor (joules) SI prefix Value Item
100 J 1 J≡ 1 N·m (newtonmetre)
1 J≡ 1 W·s (watt-second)
1 JKinetic energy produced as an extra small apple (~100 grams[70]) falls 1 meter against Earth's gravity[71]
1 JEnergy required to heat 1 gram of dry, cool air by 1 degree Celsius[72]
1.4 J≈ 1 ft·lbf (foot-pound force)[59]
4.184 J≡ 1 thermochemical calorie (small calorie)[59]
4.1868 J≡ 1 International (Steam) Table calorie[73]
8 JGreisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin theoretical upper limit for the energy of a cosmic ray coming from a distant source[74][75]
101 deca- (daJ) 1×101 JFlash energy of a typical pocket camera electronic flash capacitor (100–400 μF @ 330 V)[76][77]
5×101 JThe most energetic cosmic ray ever detected.[78] Most likely a single proton traveling only very slightly slower than the speed of light.[79]
102 hecto- (hJ) 1.25×102 J Kinetic energy of a regulation (standard) baseball (5.1 oz / 145 g)[80] thrown at 93 mph / 150 km/h (MLB average pitch speed).[81]
1.5×102 - 3.6×102 JEnergy delivered by a biphasic external electric shock (defibrillation), usually during adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation for cardiac arrest.
3×102 JEnergy of a lethal dose of X-rays[82]
3×102 JKinetic energy of an average person jumping as high as they can[83][84][85]
3.3×102 JEnergy to melt 1 g of ice[86]
> 3.6×102 JKinetic energy of 800 gram[87] standard men's javelin thrown at > 30 m/s[88] by elite javelin throwers[89]
5–20×102 JEnergy output of a typical photography studio strobe light in a single flash[90]
6×102 JUse of a 10-watt flashlight for 1 minute
7.5×102 JA power of 1 horsepower applied for 1 second[59]
7.8×102 JKinetic energy of 7.26 kg[91] standard men's shot thrown at 14.7 m/s[citation needed] by the world record holder Randy Barnes[92]
8.01×102 J Amount of work needed to lift a man with an average weight (81.7 kg) one meter above Earth (or any planet with Earth gravity)
103 kilo- (kJ) 1.1×103 J≈ 1 British thermal unit (BTU), depending on the temperature[59]
1.4×103 JTotal solar radiation received from the Sun by 1 square meter at the altitude of Earth's orbit per second (solar constant)[93]
2.3×103 JEnergy to vaporize 1 g of water into steam[94]
3×103 JLorentz force can crusher pinch[95]
3.4×103 JKinetic energy of world-record men's hammer throw (7.26 kg[96] thrown at 30.7 m/s[97] in 1986)[98]
3.6×103 J≡ 1 W·h (watt-hour)[59]
4.2×103 JEnergy released by explosion of 1 gram of TNT[59][99]
4.2×103 J≈ 1 food Calorie (large calorie)
~7×103 JMuzzle energy of an elephant gun, e.g. firing a .458 Winchester Magnum[100]
8.5×103 J Kinetic energy of a regulation baseball thrown at the speed of sound (343 m/s = 767 mph = 1,235 km/h. Air, 20°C).[101]
9×103 JEnergy in an alkaline AA battery[102]
104   1.7×104 JEnergy released by the metabolism of 1 gram of carbohydrates[103] or protein[104]
3.8×104 JEnergy released by the metabolism of 1 gram of fat[105]
4–5×104 JEnergy released by the combustion of 1 gram of gasoline[106]
5×104 JKinetic energy of 1 gram of matter moving at 10 km/s[107]
105   3×105 – 15×105 JKinetic energy of an automobile at highway speeds (1 to 5 tons[108] at 89 km/h or 55 mph)[109]
5×105 J Kinetic energy of 1 gram of a meteor hitting Earth[110]
Close

106 to 1011 J

More information Factor (joules), SI prefix ...
List of orders of magnitude for energy
Factor (joules) SI prefix Value Item
106 mega- (MJ) 1×106 JKinetic energy of a 2 tonne[108] vehicle at 32 metres per second (115 km/h or 72 mph)[111]
1.2×106 JApproximate food energy of a snack such as a Snickers bar (280 food calories)[112]
3.6×106 J= 1 kWh (kilowatt-hour) (used for electricity)[59]
4.2×106 JEnergy released by explosion of 1 kilogram of TNT[59][99]
6.1×106 J Kinetic energy of the 4 kg tungsten APFSDS penetrator after being fired from a 120mm KE-W A1 cartridge with a nominal muzzle velocity of 1740 m/s.[113][114]
8.4×106 JRecommended food energy intake per day for a moderately active woman (2000 food calories)[115][116]
9.1×106 J Kinetic energy of a regulation baseball thrown at Earth's escape velocity (First cosmic velocity ≈ 11.186 km/s = 25,020 mph = 40,270 km/h).[117]
107   1×107 J Kinetic energy of the armor-piercing round fired by the ISU-152 assault gun[118][citation needed]
1.1×107 JRecommended food energy intake per day for a moderately active man (2600 food calories)[115][119]
3.3×107 JKinetic energy of a 23 lb projectile fired by the Navy's mach 8 railgun.[120]
3.7×107 J $1 of electricity at a cost of $0.10/kWh (the US average retail cost in 2009)[121][122][123]
4×107 J Energy from the combustion of 1 cubic meter of natural gas[124]
4.2×107 J Caloric energy consumed by Olympian Michael Phelps on a daily basis during Olympic training[125]
6.3×107 J Theoretical minimum energy required to accelerate 1 kg of matter to escape velocity from Earth's surface (ignoring atmosphere)[126]
9×107 J Total mass-energy of 1 microgram of matter (25 kWh)
108   1×108 JKinetic energy of a 55 tonne aircraft at typical landing speed (59 m/s or 115 knots)[citation needed]
1.1×108 J≈ 1 therm, depending on the temperature[59]
1.1×108 J≈ 1 Tour de France, or ~90 hours[127] ridden at 5 W/kg[128] by a 65 kg rider[129]
7.3×108 J≈ Energy from burning 16 kilograms of oil (using 135 kg per barrel of light crude)[citation needed]
109 giga- (GJ) 1×109 JEnergy in an average lightning bolt[130] (thunder)
1.1×109 JMagnetic stored energy in the world's largest toroidal superconducting magnet for the ATLAS experiment at CERN, Geneva[131]
1.2×109 JInflight 100-ton Boeing 757-200 at 300 knots (154 m/s)
1.4×109 JTheoretical minimum amount of energy required to melt a tonne of steel (380 kWh)[132][133]
2×109 JEnergy of an ordinary 61 liter gasoline tank of a car.[106][134][135]
2×109 JUnit of energy in Planck units,[136] roughly the diesel tank energy of a mid-sized truck.
2.49×109 J Kinetic energy carried by American Airlines Flight 11 (767-200ER) at the moment of impact[137][138] with WTC 1, 8:46:30 A.M.[138][139][137](EDT UTC−4:00), September 11, 2001
3×109 JInflight 125-ton Boeing 767-200 flying at 373 knots (192 m/s)
3.3×109 JApproximate average amount of energy expended by a human heart muscle over an 80-year lifetime[140][141]
3.6×109 J = 1 MW·h (megawatt-hour)
4.2×109 JEnergy released by explosion of 1 ton of TNT.
4.5×109 JAverage annual energy usage of a standard refrigerator[142][143]
6.1×109 J≈ 1 bboe (barrel of oil equivalent)[144]
1010   1.9×1010 JKinetic energy of an Airbus A380 at cruising speed (560 tonnes at 511 knots or 263 m/s)
4.2×1010 J≈ 1 toe (ton of oil equivalent)[144]
4.6×1010 JYield energy of a Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, the second most powerful non-nuclear weapon ever designed[145][146]
7.3×1010 JEnergy consumed by the average U.S. automobile in the year 2000[147][148][149]
8.6×1010 J≈ 1 MW·d (megawatt-day), used in the context of power plants (24 MW·h)[150]
8.8×1010 JTotal energy released in the nuclear fission of one gram of uranium-235[36][37][151]
9×1010 J Total mass-energy of 1 milligram of matter (25 MW·h)
1011   1.1×1011 J Kinetic energy of a regulation baseball thrown at lightning speed (120 km/s = 270,000 mph = 435,000 km/h).[152]
2.4×1011 JApproximate food energy consumed by an average human in an 80-year lifetime.[153]
Close

1012 to 1017 J

More information Factor (joules), SI prefix ...
List of orders of magnitude for energy
Factor (joules) SI prefix Value Item
1012 tera- (TJ) 1.85×1012 J Gravitational potential energy of the Twin Towers, combined, accumulated throughout their construction and released during the collapse of the complex.[154][155][156]
3.4×1012 J Maximum fuel energy of an Airbus A330-300 (97,530 liters[157] of Jet A-1[158])[159]
3.6×1012 J 1 GW·h (gigawatt-hour)[160]
4×1012 J Electricity generated by one 20-kg CANDU fuel bundle assuming ~29%[161] thermal efficiency of reactor[162][163]
4.2×1012 J Chemical energy released by the detonation of 1 kiloton of TNT[59][164]
6.4×1012 JEnergy contained in jet fuel in a Boeing 747-100B aircraft at max fuel capacity (183,380 liters[165] of Jet A-1[158])[166]
1013   1.1×1013 JEnergy of the maximum fuel an Airbus A380 can carry (320,000 liters[167] of Jet A-1[158])[168]
1.2×1013 JOrbital kinetic energy of the International Space Station (417 tonnes[169] at 7.7 km/s[170])[171]
1.20×1013 J Orbital kinetic energy of the Parker Solar Probe as it dives deep into the Sun's gravity well in December 2024, reaching a peak velocity of 430,000 mph.[172][173][174]
6.3×1013 JYield of the Little Boy atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in World War II (15 kilotons)[175][176]
9×1013 JTheoretical total mass–energy of 1 gram of matter (25 GW·h) [177]
1014   1.8×1014 J Energy released by annihilation of 1 gram of antimatter and matter (50 GW·h)
3.75×1014 JTotal energy released by the Chelyabinsk meteor.[178]
6×1014 JEnergy released by an average hurricane in 1 second[179]
1015 peta- (PJ) > 1015 JEnergy released by a severe thunderstorm[180]
1×1015 JYearly electricity consumption in Greenland as of 2008[181][182]
4.2×1015 JEnergy released by explosion of 1 megaton of TNT[59][183]
1016   1×1016 JEstimated impact energy released in forming Meteor Crater[citation needed]
1.1×1016 JYearly electricity consumption in Mongolia as of 2010[181][184]
6.3×1016 J Yield of Castle Bravo, the most powerful nuclear weapon tested by the United States[185]
7.9×1016 J Kinetic energy of a regulation baseball thrown at 99% the speed of light (KE = mc^2 × [γ-1], where the Lorentz factor γ ≈ 7.09).[186]
9×1016 JMass–energy of 1 kilogram of antimatter (or matter)[187]
1017   1.4×1017 JSeismic energy released by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake[188]
1.7×1017 JTotal energy from the Sun that strikes the face of the Earth each second[189]
2.1×1017 JYield of the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful nuclear weapon ever tested (50 megatons)[190][191]
2.552×1017 J Total energy of the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption[192][193]
4.2×1017 JYearly electricity consumption of Norway as of 2008[181][194]
4.516×1017 JEnergy needed to accelerate one ton of mass to 0.1c (~30,000 km/s)[195]
8×1017 JEstimated energy released by the eruption of the Indonesian volcano, Krakatoa, in 1883[196][197][198]
Close

1018 to 1023 J

More information Factor (joules), SI prefix ...
List of orders of magnitude for energy
Factor (joules) SI prefix Value Item
1018 9.4×1018 JWorldwide nuclear-powered electricity output in 2023.[199][200]
1019 1×1019 J Thermal energy released by the 1991 Pinatubo eruption[201]
1.1×1019 J Seismic energy released by the 1960 Valdivia Earthquake[201]
1.2×1019 J Explosive yield of global nuclear arsenal[202] (2.86 Gigatons)
1.4×1019 JYearly electricity consumption in the U.S. as of 2009[181][203]
1.4×1019JYearly electricity production in the U.S. as of 2009[204][205]
5×1019 JEnergy released in 1 day by an average hurricane in producing rain (400 times greater than the wind energy)[179]
6.4×1019 JYearly electricity consumption of the world as of 2008[206][207]
6.8×1019 JYearly electricity generation of the world as of 2008[206][208]
1020 1.4×1020 J Total energy released in the 1815 Mount Tambora eruption[209]
2.33×1020 J Kinetic energy of a carbonaceous chondrite meteor 1 km in diameter striking Earth's surface at 20 km/s.[210]Such an impact occurs every ~500,000 years.[211]
2.4×1020 J Total latent heat energy released by Hurricane Katrina[212]
5×1020 JTotal world annual energy consumption in 2010[213][214]
6.2×1020 J World primary energy generation in 2023 (620 EJ).[215][216]
8×1020 JEstimated global uranium resources for generating electricity 2005[217][218][219][220]
1021 zetta- (ZJ) 6.9×1021 JEstimated energy contained in the world's natural gas reserves as of 2010[213][221]
7.0×1021 J Thermal energy released by the Toba eruption[201]
7.9×1021 JEstimated energy contained in the world's petroleum reserves as of 2010[213][222]
9.3×1021 JAnnual net uptake of thermal energy by the global ocean during 2003-2018[223]
1022 1.2×1022J Seismic energy of a magnitude 11 earthquake on Earth (M 11)[224]
1.5×1022JTotal energy from the Sun that strikes the face of the Earth each day[189][225]
1.94×1022J Impact event that formed the Siljan Ring, the largest impact structure in Europe[226]
2.4×1022 JEstimated energy contained in the world's coal reserves as of 2010[213][227]
2.9×1022 JIdentified global uranium-238 resources using fast reactor technology[217]
3.9×1022 JEstimated energy contained in the world's fossil fuel reserves as of 2010[213][228]
8.03×1022 J Total energy of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake[229]
1023 1.5×1023 J Total energy of the 1960 Valdivia earthquake[230]
2.2×1023 JTotal global uranium-238 resources using fast reactor technology[217]
3×1023 JThe energy released in the formation of the Chicxulub Crater in the Yucatán Peninsula[231]
Close

Over 1023 J

More information Factor (joules), SI prefix ...
List of orders of magnitude for energy
Factor (joules) SI prefix Value Item
1024 2.31×1024 J Total energy of the Sudbury impact event[232]
2.69×1024 J Rotational energy of Venus, which has a sidereal period of (-)243 Earth days.[233][234][235]
3.8×1024 J Radiative heat energy released from the Earth’s surface each year[201]
5.5×1024 JTotal energy from the Sun that strikes the face of the Earth each year[189][236]
1025 4×1025 J Total energy of the Carrington Event in 1859[237]
1026   >1026JEstimated energy of early Archean asteroid impacts[238]
3.2×1026 J Bolometric energy of Proxima Centauri's superflare in March 2016 (10^33.5 erg). In one year, potentially five similar superflares erupts from the surface of the red dwarf.[239]
3.828×1026 JTotal radiative energy output of the Sun each second[240]
1027ronna- (RJ)1×1027 JEstimated energy released by the impact that created the Caloris basin on Mercury[241]
1×1027 J Upper limit of the most energetic solar flares possible (X1000)[242]
5.19×1027 J Thermal input necessary to evaporate all surface water on Earth.[243][244][245] Note that the evaporated water still remains on Earth, merely in vapor form.
4.2×1027 J Kinetic energy of a regulation baseball thrown at the speed of the Oh-My-God particle, itself a cosmic ray proton with the kinetic energy of a baseball thrown at 60 mph (~50 J).[246]
10283.8×1028 JKinetic energy of the Moon in its orbit around the Earth (counting only its velocity relative to the Earth)[247][248]
7×1028 J Total energy of the stellar superflare from V1355 Orionis[249][250]
1029 2.1×1029 JRotational energy of the Earth[251][252][253]
1030quetta- (QJ)1.79×1030 JRough estimate of the gravitational binding energy of Mercury.[254]
1031   2×1031 J The Theia Impact, the most energetic event ever in Earth's history[255][256]
 3.3×1031JTotal energy output of the Sun each day[240][257]
1032 1.71×1032 JGravitational binding energy of the Earth[258]
3.10×1032 J Yearly energy output of Sirius B, the ultra-dense and Earth-sized white dwarf companion of Sirius, the Dog Star. It has a surface temperature of about 25,200 K.[259]
1033 2.7×1033 JEarth's kinetic energy at perihelion in its orbit around the Sun[260][261]
1034 1.2×1034 JTotal energy output of the Sun each year[240][262]
1035 3.5×1035 J The most energetic stellar superflare to date (V2487 Ophiuchi)[263]
1038 7.53×1038 J Baryonic (ordinary) mass-energy contained in a volume of one cubic light-year, on average.[264][265]
1039   2–5×1039 J Energy of the giant flare (starquake) released by SGR 1806-20[266][267][268]
6.602×1039 J Theoretical total mass–energy of the Moon[269][270]
1040   1.61×1040 J Baryonic mass-energy contained in a volume of one cubic parsec, on average.[265][271]
1041   2.276×1041 JGravitational binding energy of the Sun[272]
5.3675×1041 JTheoretical total mass–energy of the Earth[273][274]
1043   5×1043 J Total energy of all gamma rays in a typical gamma-ray burst if collimated[275][276]
>1043 J Total energy in a typical fast blue optical transient (FBOT)[277]
1044 ~1044 J Average value of a Tidal Disruption Event (TDE) in optical/UV bands[278]
~1044 J Estimated kinetic energy released by FBOT CSS161010[279]
~1044 JTotal energy released in a typical supernova,[280][281] sometimes referred to as a foe.
1.233×1044 JApproximate lifetime energy output of the Sun.[282][283]
3×1044 J Total energy of a typical gamma-ray burst if collimated[280]
1045   ~1045 J Estimated energy released in a hypernova and pair instability supernova[284]
1045 J Energy released by the energetic supernova, SN 2016aps[285][286]
1.7–1.9×1045 JEnergy released by hypernova ASASSN-15lh[287]
2.3×1045 J Energy released by the energetic supernova PS1-10adi[288][289]
>1045 J Estimated energy of a magnetorotational hypernova[290]
>1045 JTotal energy (energy in gamma rays+relativistic kinetic energy) of hyper-energetic gamma-ray burst if collimated[291][292][293][294][295]
1046>1046 J Estimated energy in theoretical quark-novae[296]
~1046 J Upper limit of the total energy of a supernova[297][298]
1.5×1046 J Total energy of the most energetic optical non-quasar transient, AT2021lwx[299]
1047 1045-47 J Estimated energy of stellar mass rotational black holes by vacuum polarization in an electromagnetic field[300][301]
1047 J Total energy of a very energetic and relativistic jetted Tidal Disruption Event (TDE)[302]
~1047 J Upper limit of collimated- corrected total energy of a gamma-ray burst[303][304][305]
1.8×1047 JTheoretical total mass–energy of the Sun[306][307]
5.4×1047 JMass–energy emitted as gravitational waves during the merger of two black holes, originally about 30 Solar masses each, as observed by LIGO (GW150914)[308]
8.6×1047 JMass–energy emitted as gravitational waves during the most energetic black hole merger observed until 2020 (GW170729)[309]
8.8×1047 JGRB 080916C – formerly the most powerful gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever recorded – total/true[310] isotropic energy output estimated at 8.8 × 1047 joules (8.8 × 1054 erg), or 4.9 times the Sun's mass turned to energy[311]
1048 1048 J Estimated energy of a supermassive Population III star supernova, denominated "General Relativistic Instability Supernova."[312][313]
~1.2×1048 J Approximate energy released in the most energetic black hole merging to date (GW190521), which originated the first intermediate-mass black hole ever detected[314][315][316][317][318]
1.2–3×1048 J GRB 221009A – the most powerful gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever recorded – total/true[310][319] isotropic energy output estimated at 1.2–3 × 1048 joules (1.2–3 × 1055 erg)[320][321][322]
1050 ≳1050 J Upper limit of isotropic energy (Eiso) of Population III stars Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs).[323]
1053   >1053 J Mechanical energy of very energetic so-called "quasar tsunamis"[324][325]
6×1053 JTotal mechanical energy or enthalpy in the powerful AGN outburst in the RBS 797[326]
7.65×1053 J Mass-energy of Sagittarius A*, Milky Way's central supermassive black hole[327][328]
1054  3×1054 JTotal mechanical energy or enthalpy in the powerful AGN outburst in the Hercules A (3C 348)[329]
1055 >1055 JTotal mechanical energy or enthalpy in the powerful AGN outburst in the MS 0735.6+7421,[330] Ophiucus Supercluster Explosion[331] and supermassive black holes mergings[332][333]
1057 ~1057 J Estimated rotational energy of M87 SMBH and total energy of the most luminous quasars over Gyr time-scales[334][335]
~2×1057 J Estimated thermal energy of the Bullet Cluster of galaxies[336]
7.3×1057 J Mass-energy equivalent of the ultramassive black hole TON 618, an extremely luminous quasar / active galactic nucleus (AGN).[337][338]
1058   ~1058 J Estimated total energy (in shockwaves, turbulence, gases heating up, gravitational force) of galaxy clusters mergings[339]
4×1058 JVisible mass–energy in our galaxy, the Milky Way[340][341]
1059 1×1059 JTotal mass–energy of our galaxy, the Milky Way, including dark matter and dark energy[342][343]
1.4×1059 J Mass-energy of the Andromeda galaxy (M31), ~0.8 trillion solar masses.[344][345]
1062 1–2×1062 JTotal mass–energy of the Virgo Supercluster including dark matter, the Supercluster which contains the Milky Way[346]
10701.462×1070 JRough estimate of total mass–energy of ordinary matter (atoms; baryons) present in the observable universe.[347][348][265]
1071 3.177×1071 J Rough estimate of total mass-energy within our observable universe, accounting for all forms of matter and energy.[349][265]
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SI multiples

More information Submultiples, Multiples ...
SI multiples of joule (J)
Submultiples Multiples
Value SI symbol Name Value SI symbol Name
10−1 J dJ decijoule 101 J daJ decajoule
10−2 J cJ centijoule 102 J hJ hectojoule
10−3 J mJ millijoule 103 J kJ kilojoule
10−6 J μJ microjoule 106 J MJ megajoule
10−9 J nJ nanojoule 109 J GJ gigajoule
10−12 J pJ picojoule 1012 J TJ terajoule
10−15 J fJ femtojoule 1015 J PJ petajoule
10−18 J aJ attojoule 1018 J EJ exajoule
10−21 J zJ zeptojoule 1021 J ZJ zettajoule
10−24 J yJ yoctojoule 1024 J YJ yottajoule
10−27 J rJ rontojoule 1027 J RJ ronnajoule
10−30 J qJ quectojoule 1030 J QJ quettajoule
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The joule is named after James Prescott Joule. As with every SI unit named for a person, its symbol starts with an upper case letter (J), but when written in full, it follows the rules for capitalisation of a common noun; i.e., joule becomes capitalised at the beginning of a sentence and in titles but is otherwise in lower case.

See also

Notes

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