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Megaton: meaning, definitions and examples

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megaton

 

[ หˆmษ›ษกษ™หŒtสŒn ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

unit of measurement

A megaton is a unit of mass that is commonly used to quantify the energy released in explosive events, especially nuclear explosions. One megaton is equivalent to one million tons of TNT (trinitrotoluene), which is the standard measure used to express explosive power. This term is often used in military contexts and scientific discussions regarding the yield of nuclear weapons. The use of megaton as a measurement helps to illustrate the potential destructive capability of various weapons.

Synonyms

MT, megatonne

Examples of usage

  • The bomb had a yield of 10 megatons.
  • Scientists measured the explosion in megatons.
  • The new missile can deliver a megaton bomb.
  • They assessed the impact in terms of megatons.

Translations

Translations of the word "megaton" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น megatonelada

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฎเฅ‡เค—เคพเคŸเคจ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Megatonne

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ megatona

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะผะตะณะฐั‚ะพะฝะฝะฐ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ megaton

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใƒกใ‚ฌใƒˆใƒณ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท mรฉgatonne

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ megatรณn

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท megatona

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋ฉ”๊ฐ€ํ†ค

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ูŠุบุงุทู†

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ megaton

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ megaton

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ…†ๅจ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ megaton

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ megaton

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะผะตะณะฐั‚ะพะฝะฝะฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ›แƒ”แƒ’แƒแƒขแƒแƒœแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ megaton

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ megatรณn

Etymology

The term 'megaton' was coined in the mid-20th century, primarily during the beginning of the nuclear age, when scientists and military officials needed a way to quantify the explosive power of nuclear weapons. The prefix 'mega-' comes from the Greek word 'megas' meaning 'great' and is used in the metric system to denote a factor of one million. The concept of measuring explosive energy in terms of tons of TNT originated from earlier conventional explosives, enabling a universal understanding of the catastrophic capabilities of nuclear arms. As nuclear technology evolved through the Cold War and into modern military strategy, the term became a standard unit in discourse about global security and armament, highlighting its importance in geopolitical discussions.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #33,968 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.