What is the petawatt used for?

The petawatt is an SI unit of power used to measure extremely high power levels such as peak powers of ultrashort, high-intensity lasers and instantaneous power in astrophysical phenomena.

How is the volt-ampere different from watts?

Volt ampere measures apparent power in AC circuits, accounting for both voltage and current regardless of phase angle, while watts measure real power where voltage and current are in phase.

Why must power factor be considered in this conversion?

Because petawatt measures real power and volt-ampere measures apparent power, the conversion assumes a power factor of 1 to directly relate the two units accurately.

How to Convert from Petawatt [PW] to Volt ampere [V*A]?

Learn how to convert power units from petawatts (PW) to volt amperes (V*A) with this easy-to-use online converter. Understand the applications, examples, and important considerations.

Petawatt [PW]

Volt ampere [V*A]

Please check your input. It must be a valid numeric value.

Petawatt [PW] to Volt ampere [V*A] Conversion Table

Petawatt [PW]	Volt ampere [V*A]

Custom Unit Conversion Table Generator – Instant Printable Conversion Tables

Start Value

Enter the starting number (positive decimal or integer ≥ 0). Example: 0.1, 1, 5.

End Value

Enter the ending number (positive decimal or integer > Start Value). Example: 10, 50, 100.

Interval

Enter the step size (positive decimal > 0 and < End Value – Start Value). Example: 1.0, 2.5.

Petawatt [PW] to Volt ampere [V*A] Conversion Table
Petawatt [PW]	Volt ampere [V*A]

Explore More Power Units Converter

What Is This Tool?

This unit converter allows users to convert power measurements from the petawatt (PW) to volt ampere (V*A). It is designed to assist in transforming extremely high power levels used in physics and astrophysics into apparent power units used in AC electrical systems.

How to Use This Tool?

Enter the value in petawatts you wish to convert.
Select petawatt [PW] as the input unit and volt ampere [V*A] as the output unit.
Click the convert button to obtain the equivalent value in volt amperes.

Key Features

Converts petawatts (PW) to volt amperes (V*A) accurately according to the official conversion rate.
Supports understanding of power measurements in diverse fields like plasma physics, astrophysics, and electrical engineering.
Browser-based tool suitable for quick and convenient conversions.

Examples

2 PW converts to 2,000,000,000,000,000 V*A.
0.5 PW converts to 500,000,000,000,000 V*A.

Common Use Cases

Estimating peak power for petawatt-class lasers in plasma physics experiments.
Comparing large-scale astrophysical transient power levels with electrical apparent power.
Specifying and sizing electrical equipment like transformers and UPS based on apparent power requirements.

Tips & Best Practices

Ensure a power factor of 1 when directly equating petawatt values to volt amperes for accurate interpretation.
Use this conversion to bridge understanding between theoretical high-power scenarios and practical electrical systems.
Always consider the difference between real power (watts) and apparent power (volt amperes) in AC systems.

Limitations

Conversion assumes a power factor of 1, which may not apply in all AC electrical scenarios.
Petawatt-level power is generally theoretical or experimental and uncommon in practical electrical system operations.
Applies only where direct equivalence between real power and apparent power is acceptable; reactive power components are not accounted for.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the petawatt used for?: The petawatt is an SI unit of power used to measure extremely high power levels such as peak powers of ultrashort, high-intensity lasers and instantaneous power in astrophysical phenomena.
How is the volt-ampere different from watts?: Volt ampere measures apparent power in AC circuits, accounting for both voltage and current regardless of phase angle, while watts measure real power where voltage and current are in phase.
Why must power factor be considered in this conversion?: Because petawatt measures real power and volt-ampere measures apparent power, the conversion assumes a power factor of 1 to directly relate the two units accurately.

Key Terminology

Petawatt (PW): An SI unit of power equal to 10^15 watts, representing the rate of energy transfer or conversion per time.
Volt ampere (V*A): The unit of apparent power in AC circuits, calculated as the product of root-mean-square voltage and current, representing total delivered power regardless of phase angle.
Power factor: A ratio that indicates the phase difference between voltage and current, affecting the relationship between real power and apparent power in AC circuits.

Quick Knowledge Check

What does the petawatt (PW) measure?

Apparent power in AC systems

Real power quantifying energy transfer rate

Voltage in electrical circuits

What is the volt-ampere (V*A) unit used for?

Measuring apparent power in AC circuits

Measuring peak laser pulse duration

Measuring thermal energy

What assumption is made during the conversion from petawatt to volt-ampere?

Power factor equals 1

Power factor equals 0

Voltage is constant

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