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TNT equivalent

TNT equivalent is a convention for expressing energy, typically used to describe the energy released in an explosion. The ton of TNT is a unit of energy defined by convention to be 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie),[1] which is the approximate energy released in the detonation of a metric ton (1,000 kilograms) of TNT. In other words, for each gram of TNT exploded, 4.184 kilojoules (or 4184 joules) of energy are released.

"Kiloton" redirects here. For the similarly named weight measurements, see Tonne.

TNT equivalent

Non-standard

Energy

t, ton of TNT

   ≈ 4.184 gigajoules

   109 calories

This convention intends to compare the destructiveness of an event with that of conventional explosive materials, of which TNT is a typical example, although other conventional explosives such as dynamite contain more energy.

Kiloton and megaton[edit]

The "kiloton (of TNT equivalent)" is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 terajoules (4.184×1012 J).[2]


The "megaton (of TNT equivalent)" is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 petajoules (4.184×1015 J).[3]


The kiloton and megaton of TNT equivalent have traditionally been used to describe the energy output, and hence the destructive power, of a nuclear weapon. The TNT equivalent appears in various nuclear weapon control treaties, and has been used to characterize the energy released in asteroid impacts.[4]

1.0×109 [13]

calories

4.184×109 [14]

joules

3.96831×106 [15]

British thermal units

3.086×109 [16]

foot-pounds

1.162×103 [17]

kilowatt-hours

1 ton TNT equivalent is approximately:

Brisance

Net explosive quantity

Nuclear weapon yield

Orders of magnitude (energy)

Relative effectiveness factor

Table of explosive detonation velocities

Ton

Tonne

a unit of energy almost exactly 10 tonnes of TNT

Tonne of oil equivalent

Thompson, A.; Taylor, B.N. (July 2008). . NIST. NIST Special Publication. 811. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Version 3.2.

"Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI)"

Nuclear Weapons FAQ Part 1.3

Rhodes, Richard (2012). (25th Anniversary ed.). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4516-7761-4.

The Making of the Atomic Bomb

Cooper, Paul W. (1996), Explosives Engineering, New York: Wiley-VCH,  978-0-471-18636-6

ISBN

HQ Department of the Army (2004) [1967], Field Manual 5-25: Explosives and Demolitions, Washington, D.C.: Pentagon Publishing, pp. 83–84,  978-0-9759009-5-6

ISBN

Urbański, Tadeusz (1985) [1984], Chemistry and Technology of Explosives, Volumes I–IV (second ed.), Oxford: Pergamon

Mathieu, Jörg; Stucki, Hans (2004), "Military High Explosives", CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry, 58 (6): 383–389, :10.2533/000942904777677669, ISSN 0009-4293

doi

"3. Thermobaric Explosives". . The National Academies Press, nap.edu. 2004. doi:10.17226/10918. ISBN 978-0-309-09160-2.

Advanced Energetic Materials