Convert Picowatts to Terawatts
Convert Picowatts (pW) to Terawatts (TW) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
TW = pW × 1.000000000e-24
About Picowatts
A picowatt (pW) is 10⁻¹² W - the power scale of the most sensitive radio receivers. GPS satellites transmit 20-50 W; by the time that signal spans 20,000 km, the received power is ~0.1 pW (−130 dBm). Radio telescopes routinely detect cosmic signals in the picowatt range. Qubit control electronics in quantum computers must resolve energy differences at picowatt scales. Photodetectors in single-photon counting mode, hard drive head read-back signals at idle, and deep-shadow solar cells also operate at picowatt levels. 1 pW = 10⁻¹² W.
About Terawatts
A terawatt (TW) is 10¹² W. All of human civilisation consumes ~17-18 TW (electricity + heat + transport combined); global electricity generation alone is ~9 TW. Solar irradiance intercepted by Earth is ~174,000 TW; photosynthesis captures ~130 TW. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) fusion laser produces pulses of ~500 TW lasting nanoseconds. High-power laser facilities for nuclear physics and ICF research routinely exceed 1 TW in ultrashort pulse regimes. 1 TW = 10¹² W.
Quick Reference Table
| Picowatts (pW) | Terawatts (TW) |
|---|---|
| 1 pW | 1 × 10-24 TW |
| 2 pW | 2 × 10-24 TW |
| 5 pW | 5 × 10-24 TW |
| 10 pW | 1 × 10-23 TW |
| 25 pW | 2.5 × 10-23 TW |
| 50 pW | 5 × 10-23 TW |
| 100 pW | 1 × 10-22 TW |