The milliwatt, a unit of power, is often seen in the realm of electronics, particularly in low-consumption devices. One milliwatt is equal to one-thousandth of a watt, making it a crucial measurement in the assessment of small but vital electricity flows. For example, many hearing aids and wristwatches consume power in the milliwatt range, showcasing the intricacy and efficiency of modern technology.
In the world of wireless communication, milliwatts are used to gauge signal strength, as even fractions of a watt can significantly impact data transmission quality. Interestingly, the tiny LEDs in your remote control likely operate at just a few milliwatts, yet they possess the ability to send clear, precise signals to your TV or stereo from across the room.
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.
| Milliwatts | Gigawatts |
|---|---|
0
mW
|
0
GW
|
10000
mW
|
1e-8
GW
|
20000
mW
|
2e-8
GW
|
30000
mW
|
3e-8
GW
|
40000
mW
|
4e-8
GW
|
50000
mW
|
5e-8
GW
|
60000
mW
|
6e-8
GW
|
70000
mW
|
7e-8
GW
|
80000
mW
|
8e-8
GW
|
90000
mW
|
9e-8
GW
|
100000
mW
|
1e-7
GW
|
110000
mW
|
1.1e-7
GW
|
120000
mW
|
1.2e-7
GW
|
130000
mW
|
1.3e-7
GW
|
140000
mW
|
1.4e-7
GW
|
150000
mW
|
1.5e-7
GW
|
160000
mW
|
1.6e-7
GW
|
170000
mW
|
1.7e-7
GW
|
180000
mW
|
1.8e-7
GW
|
190000
mW
|
1.9e-7
GW
|
200000
mW
|
2e-7
GW
|
210000
mW
|
2.1e-7
GW
|
220000
mW
|
2.2e-7
GW
|
230000
mW
|
2.3e-7
GW
|
240000
mW
|
2.4e-7
GW
|
250000
mW
|
2.5e-7
GW
|
260000
mW
|
2.6e-7
GW
|
270000
mW
|
2.7e-7
GW
|
280000
mW
|
2.8e-7
GW
|
290000
mW
|
2.9e-7
GW
|
300000
mW
|
3e-7
GW
|
310000
mW
|
3.1e-7
GW
|
320000
mW
|
3.2e-7
GW
|
330000
mW
|
3.3e-7
GW
|
340000
mW
|
3.4e-7
GW
|
350000
mW
|
3.5e-7
GW
|
360000
mW
|
3.6e-7
GW
|
370000
mW
|
3.7e-7
GW
|
380000
mW
|
3.8e-7
GW
|
390000
mW
|
3.9e-7
GW
|
400000
mW
|
4e-7
GW
|
410000
mW
|
4.1e-7
GW
|
420000
mW
|
4.2e-7
GW
|
430000
mW
|
4.3e-7
GW
|
440000
mW
|
4.4e-7
GW
|
450000
mW
|
4.5e-7
GW
|
460000
mW
|
4.6e-7
GW
|
470000
mW
|
4.7e-7
GW
|
480000
mW
|
4.8e-7
GW
|
490000
mW
|
4.9e-7
GW
|
500000
mW
|
5e-7
GW
|
510000
mW
|
5.1e-7
GW
|
520000
mW
|
5.2e-7
GW
|
530000
mW
|
5.3e-7
GW
|
540000
mW
|
5.4e-7
GW
|
550000
mW
|
5.5e-7
GW
|
560000
mW
|
5.6e-7
GW
|
570000
mW
|
5.7e-7
GW
|
580000
mW
|
5.8e-7
GW
|
590000
mW
|
5.9e-7
GW
|
600000
mW
|
6e-7
GW
|
610000
mW
|
6.1e-7
GW
|
620000
mW
|
6.2e-7
GW
|
630000
mW
|
6.3e-7
GW
|
640000
mW
|
6.4e-7
GW
|
650000
mW
|
6.5e-7
GW
|
660000
mW
|
6.6e-7
GW
|
670000
mW
|
6.7e-7
GW
|
680000
mW
|
6.8e-7
GW
|
690000
mW
|
6.9e-7
GW
|
700000
mW
|
7e-7
GW
|
710000
mW
|
7.1e-7
GW
|
720000
mW
|
7.2e-7
GW
|
730000
mW
|
7.3e-7
GW
|
740000
mW
|
7.4e-7
GW
|
750000
mW
|
7.5e-7
GW
|
760000
mW
|
7.6e-7
GW
|
770000
mW
|
7.7e-7
GW
|
780000
mW
|
7.8e-7
GW
|
790000
mW
|
7.9e-7
GW
|
800000
mW
|
8e-7
GW
|
810000
mW
|
8.1e-7
GW
|
820000
mW
|
8.2e-7
GW
|
830000
mW
|
8.3e-7
GW
|
840000
mW
|
8.4e-7
GW
|
850000
mW
|
8.5e-7
GW
|
860000
mW
|
8.6e-7
GW
|
870000
mW
|
8.7e-7
GW
|
880000
mW
|
8.8e-7
GW
|
890000
mW
|
8.9e-7
GW
|
900000
mW
|
9e-7
GW
|
910000
mW
|
9.1e-7
GW
|
920000
mW
|
9.2e-7
GW
|
930000
mW
|
9.3e-7
GW
|
940000
mW
|
9.4e-7
GW
|
950000
mW
|
9.5e-7
GW
|
960000
mW
|
9.6e-7
GW
|
970000
mW
|
9.7e-7
GW
|
980000
mW
|
9.8e-7
GW
|
990000
mW
|
9.9e-7
GW
|
1000000
mW
|
0.000001
GW
|
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