noun
- a unit of weight equal to one billion tons
Usage: used especially in measuring explosive force or large quantities
Examples
- The asteroid impact released energy equivalent to several gigatons of TNT.
- Nuclear weapons are often measured in megatons or gigatons.
- Scientists estimate the volcano erupted with the force of multiple gigatons.
- The meteor explosion was calculated at about 500 gigatons.
- Climate researchers measure carbon emissions in gigatons per year.
- The largest nuclear bomb ever tested was about 50 gigatons.