A gigawatt (GW) is a unit of power equal to one billion watts. To put it into perspective, a single gigawatt can power approximately 750,000 homes simultaneously in developed countries. This immense power is often used to measure the capacity of power plants, with modern nuclear reactors typically generating between 1 to 1.3 gigawatts each. The term gained mainstream attention in pop culture when Doc Brown, in the movie “Back to the Future,” famously exclaimed the need for 1.21 “gigawatts” to power his time machine. Although mistakenly pronounced, it sparked curiosity about the sheer scale of energy required for large-scale projects and futuristic concepts. Today, understanding gigawatts is crucial as we transition to more sustainable energy sources and technologies.
The foot-pound per second is an intriguing unit of power that encapsulates the essence of energy transfer in mechanical systems. A single foot-pound per second equates to the rate at which one pound-force transfers energy across a distance of one foot in a second. Lesser-known than its metric counterpart, the watt, foot-pound per second offers insight into the blend of force, distance, and time that’s crucial to understanding mechanical work.
Interestingly, the unit serves as a bridge between imperial and metric systems, with one foot-pound per second equivalent to approximately 1.3558 watts. This conversion showcases the interconnectedness of diverse measurement systems. The unit highlights the ingenuity of early inventors and engineers like James Watt, whose advancements in engine technology continue to influence how we conceptualize power and efficiency today.
| Gigawatts | Foot-pounds per second |
|---|---|
0
GW
|
0
ft-lb/s
|
0.1
GW
|
7.37562e+7
ft-lb/s
|
0.2
GW
|
1.47512e+8
ft-lb/s
|
0.3
GW
|
2.21269e+8
ft-lb/s
|
0.4
GW
|
2.95025e+8
ft-lb/s
|
0.5
GW
|
3.68781e+8
ft-lb/s
|
0.6
GW
|
4.42537e+8
ft-lb/s
|
0.7
GW
|
5.16294e+8
ft-lb/s
|
0.8
GW
|
5.9005e+8
ft-lb/s
|
0.9
GW
|
6.63806e+8
ft-lb/s
|
1
GW
|
7.37562e+8
ft-lb/s
|
1.1
GW
|
8.11318e+8
ft-lb/s
|
1.2
GW
|
8.85075e+8
ft-lb/s
|
1.3
GW
|
9.58831e+8
ft-lb/s
|
1.4
GW
|
1.03259e+9
ft-lb/s
|
1.5
GW
|
1.10634e+9
ft-lb/s
|
1.6
GW
|
1.1801e+9
ft-lb/s
|
1.7
GW
|
1.25386e+9
ft-lb/s
|
1.8
GW
|
1.32761e+9
ft-lb/s
|
1.9
GW
|
1.40137e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2
GW
|
1.47512e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2.1
GW
|
1.54888e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2.2
GW
|
1.62264e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2.3
GW
|
1.69639e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2.4
GW
|
1.77015e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2.5
GW
|
1.84391e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2.6
GW
|
1.91766e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2.7
GW
|
1.99142e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2.8
GW
|
2.06517e+9
ft-lb/s
|
2.9
GW
|
2.13893e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3
GW
|
2.21269e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3.1
GW
|
2.28644e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3.2
GW
|
2.3602e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3.3
GW
|
2.43396e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3.4
GW
|
2.50771e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3.5
GW
|
2.58147e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3.6
GW
|
2.65522e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3.7
GW
|
2.72898e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3.8
GW
|
2.80274e+9
ft-lb/s
|
3.9
GW
|
2.87649e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4
GW
|
2.95025e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4.1
GW
|
3.024e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4.2
GW
|
3.09776e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4.3
GW
|
3.17152e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4.4
GW
|
3.24527e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4.5
GW
|
3.31903e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4.6
GW
|
3.39279e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4.7
GW
|
3.46654e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4.8
GW
|
3.5403e+9
ft-lb/s
|
4.9
GW
|
3.61405e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5
GW
|
3.68781e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5.1
GW
|
3.76157e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5.2
GW
|
3.83532e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5.3
GW
|
3.90908e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5.4
GW
|
3.98284e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5.5
GW
|
4.05659e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5.6
GW
|
4.13035e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5.7
GW
|
4.2041e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5.8
GW
|
4.27786e+9
ft-lb/s
|
5.9
GW
|
4.35162e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6
GW
|
4.42537e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6.1
GW
|
4.49913e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6.2
GW
|
4.57289e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6.3
GW
|
4.64664e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6.4
GW
|
4.7204e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6.5
GW
|
4.79415e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6.6
GW
|
4.86791e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6.7
GW
|
4.94167e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6.8
GW
|
5.01542e+9
ft-lb/s
|
6.9
GW
|
5.08918e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7
GW
|
5.16294e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7.1
GW
|
5.23669e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7.2
GW
|
5.31045e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7.3
GW
|
5.3842e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7.4
GW
|
5.45796e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7.5
GW
|
5.53172e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7.6
GW
|
5.60547e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7.7
GW
|
5.67923e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7.8
GW
|
5.75298e+9
ft-lb/s
|
7.9
GW
|
5.82674e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8
GW
|
5.9005e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8.1
GW
|
5.97425e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8.2
GW
|
6.04801e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8.3
GW
|
6.12177e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8.4
GW
|
6.19552e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8.5
GW
|
6.26928e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8.6
GW
|
6.34303e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8.7
GW
|
6.41679e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8.8
GW
|
6.49055e+9
ft-lb/s
|
8.9
GW
|
6.5643e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9
GW
|
6.63806e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9.1
GW
|
6.71182e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9.2
GW
|
6.78557e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9.3
GW
|
6.85933e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9.4
GW
|
6.93308e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9.5
GW
|
7.00684e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9.6
GW
|
7.0806e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9.7
GW
|
7.15435e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9.8
GW
|
7.22811e+9
ft-lb/s
|
9.9
GW
|
7.30187e+9
ft-lb/s
|
10
GW
|
7.37562e+9
ft-lb/s
|
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