The gigajoule (GJ) is a unit of energy equivalent to one billion joules. It offers a convenient metric for measuring substantial energy quantities and is frequently used in contexts like natural gas and electrical energy. For instance, one gigajoule can power an average household’s energy needs for about three days, depending on energy consumption habits. Interestingly, it’s also roughly equivalent to the energy contained in 26.8 gallons of gasoline, highlighting its significance in both domestic and industrial contexts.
Beyond its everyday applications, the gigajoule also plays a critical role in scientific fields. In the realm of seismology, for example, a moderate earthquake releases energy comparable to a few gigajoules, illustrating the vast power of natural phenomena. This demonstrates how understanding gigajoules can offer insights into both human technology and the forces of nature.
The calorie, commonly associated with food energy, originally measured heat in physics. One calorie is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. Despite what food packaging might suggest, when we count calories, we are typically referring to kilocalories, which equals 1,000 of these small calories. This means that when you see a snack label stating it’s 100 calories, it’s actually 100 kilocalories, or 100,000 calories in scientific terms!
Interestingly, the calorie became a popular unit due to its early use in nutrition studies and its role in determining food’s energy content. This is crucial, as it helps in planning and maintaining balanced diets and understanding energy expenditure for health and fitness.
| Gigajoules | Calories |
|---|---|
0
GJ
|
0
cal
|
0.1
GJ
|
2.39006e+7
cal
|
0.2
GJ
|
4.78011e+7
cal
|
0.3
GJ
|
7.17017e+7
cal
|
0.4
GJ
|
9.56023e+7
cal
|
0.5
GJ
|
1.19503e+8
cal
|
0.6
GJ
|
1.43403e+8
cal
|
0.7
GJ
|
1.67304e+8
cal
|
0.8
GJ
|
1.91205e+8
cal
|
0.9
GJ
|
2.15105e+8
cal
|
1
GJ
|
2.39006e+8
cal
|
1.1
GJ
|
2.62906e+8
cal
|
1.2
GJ
|
2.86807e+8
cal
|
1.3
GJ
|
3.10707e+8
cal
|
1.4
GJ
|
3.34608e+8
cal
|
1.5
GJ
|
3.58509e+8
cal
|
1.6
GJ
|
3.82409e+8
cal
|
1.7
GJ
|
4.0631e+8
cal
|
1.8
GJ
|
4.3021e+8
cal
|
1.9
GJ
|
4.54111e+8
cal
|
2
GJ
|
4.78011e+8
cal
|
2.1
GJ
|
5.01912e+8
cal
|
2.2
GJ
|
5.25813e+8
cal
|
2.3
GJ
|
5.49713e+8
cal
|
2.4
GJ
|
5.73614e+8
cal
|
2.5
GJ
|
5.97514e+8
cal
|
2.6
GJ
|
6.21415e+8
cal
|
2.7
GJ
|
6.45315e+8
cal
|
2.8
GJ
|
6.69216e+8
cal
|
2.9
GJ
|
6.93117e+8
cal
|
3
GJ
|
7.17017e+8
cal
|
3.1
GJ
|
7.40918e+8
cal
|
3.2
GJ
|
7.64818e+8
cal
|
3.3
GJ
|
7.88719e+8
cal
|
3.4
GJ
|
8.1262e+8
cal
|
3.5
GJ
|
8.3652e+8
cal
|
3.6
GJ
|
8.60421e+8
cal
|
3.7
GJ
|
8.84321e+8
cal
|
3.8
GJ
|
9.08222e+8
cal
|
3.9
GJ
|
9.32122e+8
cal
|
4
GJ
|
9.56023e+8
cal
|
4.1
GJ
|
9.79924e+8
cal
|
4.2
GJ
|
1.00382e+9
cal
|
4.3
GJ
|
1.02772e+9
cal
|
4.4
GJ
|
1.05163e+9
cal
|
4.5
GJ
|
1.07553e+9
cal
|
4.6
GJ
|
1.09943e+9
cal
|
4.7
GJ
|
1.12333e+9
cal
|
4.8
GJ
|
1.14723e+9
cal
|
4.9
GJ
|
1.17113e+9
cal
|
5
GJ
|
1.19503e+9
cal
|
5.1
GJ
|
1.21893e+9
cal
|
5.2
GJ
|
1.24283e+9
cal
|
5.3
GJ
|
1.26673e+9
cal
|
5.4
GJ
|
1.29063e+9
cal
|
5.5
GJ
|
1.31453e+9
cal
|
5.6
GJ
|
1.33843e+9
cal
|
5.7
GJ
|
1.36233e+9
cal
|
5.8
GJ
|
1.38623e+9
cal
|
5.9
GJ
|
1.41013e+9
cal
|
6
GJ
|
1.43403e+9
cal
|
6.1
GJ
|
1.45793e+9
cal
|
6.2
GJ
|
1.48184e+9
cal
|
6.3
GJ
|
1.50574e+9
cal
|
6.4
GJ
|
1.52964e+9
cal
|
6.5
GJ
|
1.55354e+9
cal
|
6.6
GJ
|
1.57744e+9
cal
|
6.7
GJ
|
1.60134e+9
cal
|
6.8
GJ
|
1.62524e+9
cal
|
6.9
GJ
|
1.64914e+9
cal
|
7
GJ
|
1.67304e+9
cal
|
7.1
GJ
|
1.69694e+9
cal
|
7.2
GJ
|
1.72084e+9
cal
|
7.3
GJ
|
1.74474e+9
cal
|
7.4
GJ
|
1.76864e+9
cal
|
7.5
GJ
|
1.79254e+9
cal
|
7.6
GJ
|
1.81644e+9
cal
|
7.7
GJ
|
1.84034e+9
cal
|
7.8
GJ
|
1.86424e+9
cal
|
7.9
GJ
|
1.88815e+9
cal
|
8
GJ
|
1.91205e+9
cal
|
8.1
GJ
|
1.93595e+9
cal
|
8.2
GJ
|
1.95985e+9
cal
|
8.3
GJ
|
1.98375e+9
cal
|
8.4
GJ
|
2.00765e+9
cal
|
8.5
GJ
|
2.03155e+9
cal
|
8.6
GJ
|
2.05545e+9
cal
|
8.7
GJ
|
2.07935e+9
cal
|
8.8
GJ
|
2.10325e+9
cal
|
8.9
GJ
|
2.12715e+9
cal
|
9
GJ
|
2.15105e+9
cal
|
9.1
GJ
|
2.17495e+9
cal
|
9.2
GJ
|
2.19885e+9
cal
|
9.3
GJ
|
2.22275e+9
cal
|
9.4
GJ
|
2.24665e+9
cal
|
9.5
GJ
|
2.27055e+9
cal
|
9.6
GJ
|
2.29446e+9
cal
|
9.7
GJ
|
2.31836e+9
cal
|
9.8
GJ
|
2.34226e+9
cal
|
9.9
GJ
|
2.36616e+9
cal
|
10
GJ
|
2.39006e+9
cal
|
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