Convert Kilocalories to Tons of TNT
Convert Kilocalories (kcal) to Tons of TNT (t(TNT)) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
t(TNT) = kcal × 1.000000000e-6
About Kilocalories
A kilocalorie (kcal) - the food Calorie (capital C) on US and Canadian nutrition labels - is exactly 4,184 J. WHO recommends ~2,000-2,500 kcal/day for adults. Energy density of nutrients: fat 9 kcal/g, carbohydrate 4 kcal/g, protein 4 kcal/g, ethanol 7 kcal/g. Running at 10 km/h burns ~600-800 kcal/h. Standard free energy of ATP hydrolysis is approximately −7.3 kcal/mol (−30.5 kJ/mol). Pre-SI thermodynamic tables in the US and Japan use kcal/mol for reaction enthalpies. 1 kcal = 4,184 J = 4.184 kJ = 3.968 BTU = 1.163 Wh.
About Tons of TNT
A ton of TNT is an energy unit defined as exactly 10⁹ thermochemical calories = 4.184 GJ. The Trinity test (first nuclear weapon, 1945) yielded ~21 kilotons TNT = 87.9 TJ. The Tsar Bomba yielded ~50 megatons TNT = 209 PJ - the largest human-made explosion in history. Hiroshima's Little Boy yielded ~15 kilotons = 62.8 TJ. The Tunguska 1908 airburst released ~10-15 megatons TNT. Earthquake magnitude 6.0 releases ~63 kilotons TNT equivalent in seismic energy. 1 t(TNT) = 4.184 GJ = 4,184 MJ = 1,162.8 kWh.
Quick Reference Table
| Kilocalories (kcal) | Tons of TNT (t(TNT)) |
|---|---|
| 1 kcal | 1 × 10-6 t(TNT) |
| 2 kcal | 2 × 10-6 t(TNT) |
| 5 kcal | 5 × 10-6 t(TNT) |
| 10 kcal | 1 × 10-5 t(TNT) |
| 25 kcal | 2.5 × 10-5 t(TNT) |
| 50 kcal | 5 × 10-5 t(TNT) |
| 100 kcal | 1 × 10-4 t(TNT) |