Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun metrology An SI unit of power equal to 1015 watts.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

peta- +‎ watt.

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Examples

  • Livermore researchers detected anti-matter about 10 years ago in experiments on the since-decommissioned Nova "petawatt" laser - about 100 particles.

    British Blogs 2008

  • Livermore researchers detected anti-matter about 10 years ago in experiments on the since-decommissioned Nova "petawatt" laser - about 100 particles.

    Scientific Blogging 2008

  • Livermore researchers detected anti-matter about 10 years ago in experiments on the since-decommissioned Nova "petawatt" laser - about 100 particles.

    Science Blog - Science news straight from the source 2008

  • Livermore researchers detected anti-matter about 10 years ago in experiments on the since-decommissioned Nova "petawatt" laser - about 100 particles.

    SpaceRef Top Stories 2008

  • A petawatt is 1,000 terawatts Anxiety grows over use of nuclear energy, 24 March, page 29.

    Corrections and clarifications 2011

  • A petawatt is 1,000 times more power than that, and an exawatt is 1,000 times greater than a petawatt.

    PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories 2010

  • "But when we ran computer simulations using these next generation petawatt (quadrillion watt) strength lasers with a hydrogen-boron fuel, we were shocked to find that it's only 10 times more difficult than deuterium-tritium," he said.

    CBC | Top Stories News 2010

  • A petawatt is 1,000 times more power than that, and an exawatt is 1,000 times greater than a petawatt.

    PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories 2010

  • However, with wavelengths of only 13 nanometers and high radiation intensities of several petawatt per square centimeter something else - at least with some atoms - happens: With xenon, a whole light-wave packet immediately seems to knock out a huge number of internal electrons.

    PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories 2009

  • Such high energies and short pulse durations allow significant laser powers to be produced with laser-pulse energy approaching the petawatt level - or up to a quadrillion watts.

    PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories 2009

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