Convert Attojoules to Ergs
Convert Attojoules (aJ) to Ergs (erg) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
erg = aJ × 1.000000000e-11
About Attojoules
An attojoule (aJ) is 10⁻¹⁸ J - the scale of individual X-ray photons and superconducting qubit circuits. A 1 keV X-ray photon carries 160 aJ; a visible green photon (~550 nm) carries ~0.36 aJ. Josephson junction energies in superconducting qubits are set in tens to hundreds of aJ to achieve quantum coherence at millikelvin temperatures. XRISM's cryogenic TES X-ray spectrometer resolves individual photon energies at the hundreds-of-aJ level with ~7 eV FWHM resolution. 1 aJ = 10⁻¹⁸ J = 6.242 eV.
About Ergs
An erg is the CGS unit of energy - the work done by one dyne through one centimetre - exactly 10⁻⁷ J. Despite SI adoption, the erg persists in astrophysics: the Sun's luminosity is 3.828 × 10³³ erg/s; gamma-ray burst isotropic energies are quoted in units of 10⁵¹ erg ('one foe'). Surface tension of water is 72.8 dyn/cm; the work to create 1 cm² of new water-air interface is 72.8 erg. Earthquake seismic moment M₀ is in dyn·cm = erg; the 2004 Boxing Day earthquake had M₀ ≈ 10²³ J = 10³⁰ erg. 1 erg = 10⁻⁷ J = 624.15 eV.
Quick Reference Table
| Attojoules (aJ) | Ergs (erg) |
|---|---|
| 1 aJ | 1 × 10-11 erg |
| 2 aJ | 2 × 10-11 erg |
| 5 aJ | 5 × 10-11 erg |
| 10 aJ | 1 × 10-10 erg |
| 25 aJ | 2.5 × 10-10 erg |
| 50 aJ | 5 × 10-10 erg |
| 100 aJ | 1 × 10-9 erg |