Gigajoules (GJ)
The gigajoule is a billion joules. Natural gas is priced per GJ in Canada, and a ton of TNT releases about 4.2 GJ.
Convert gigajoules to any energy unit
1 gigajoule = 1,000,000,000 joules
Quick facts
- Unit
- Gigajoule (plural: gigajoules)
- Symbol
- GJ
- Measures
- Energy / Work / Heat
- System
- Metric (SI)
- Equals
- 1,000,000,000 joules
- Definition
- One billion joules.
1 gigajoule in other units
| Joules | 1,000,000,000 J |
| Kilocalories | 239,005.7361 kcal |
| Kilowatt-hours | 277.7777778 kWh |
| British thermal units | 947,817.1203 BTU |
| Calories | 239,005,736.1 cal |
| Kilojoules | 1,000,000 kJ |
| Calories (food) | 239,005.7361 Cal |
| Electronvolts | 6.2415091 × 1027 eV |
What is a gigajoule?
The gigajoule is a billion joules. Natural gas is priced per GJ in Canada, and a ton of TNT releases about 4.2 GJ.
Where the gigajoule sits among energy units
The gigajoule is number 67 of 99 on our scale of energy units, ordered from smallest to largest.
Gigajoules in real life
- A lightning bolt carries about 1–5 GJ
- A barrel of oil contains about 6.1 GJ
One gigajoule is about the energy of a lightning bolt, or about the energy of 29 liters of gasoline, or about the energy of 120 days of an adult's food, or about 24% of the energy in a ton of TNT.
Top gigajoule conversions
- Gigajoules to joules
- Gigajoules to kilocalories
- Gigajoules to kilowatt-hours
- Gigajoules to British thermal units
- Gigajoules to calories
- Gigajoules to kilojoules
- Gigajoules to Calories (food)
- Gigajoules to electronvolts
- Gigajoules to watt-hours
- Gigajoules to foot-pounds
- Gigajoules to megajoules
- Gigajoules to therms
Common amounts of gigajoules
Convert gigajoules to all 98 other units
Metric (SI)
Electrical
Calories
- GJ to kcal
- GJ to cal
- GJ to Cal
- GJ to cal_IT
- GJ to Gcal
- GJ to Mcal
- GJ to cal₁₅
- GJ to th
- GJ to cal₂₀
- GJ to cal_mean
BTU & therms
- GJ to BTU
- GJ to thm
- GJ to MMBtu
- GJ to MBtu
- GJ to Dth
- GJ to quad
- GJ to thm (EC)
- GJ to BTU_th
- GJ to BTU₅₉
- GJ to CHU
- GJ to Q
- GJ to BTU₃₉
- GJ to BTU₆₀
- GJ to BTU_mean
Mechanical
- GJ to ft⋅lbf
- GJ to erg
- GJ to in⋅lbf
- GJ to hp⋅h
- GJ to L⋅atm
- GJ to kgf⋅m
- GJ to ft⋅pdl
- GJ to in⋅ozf
- GJ to PS⋅h
- GJ to cm³⋅atm
- GJ to ft³⋅atm
- GJ to ft³⋅psi
Atomic & physics
- GJ to eV
- GJ to MeV
- GJ to GeV
- GJ to keV
- GJ to TeV
- GJ to Eh
- GJ to kJ/mol
- GJ to kcal/mol
- GJ to meV
- GJ to cm⁻¹
- GJ to EP
- GJ to PeV
- GJ to Ry
- GJ to EeV
- GJ to K·k_B
- GJ to foe
- GJ to h·Hz
Fuel & explosive equivalents
- GJ to BOE
- GJ to t TNT
- GJ to toe
- GJ to kt
- GJ to Mt
- GJ to cubic foot of natural gas
- GJ to GGE
- GJ to Mtoe
- GJ to cubic meter of natural gas
- GJ to tce
- GJ to ktoe
- GJ to liter of gasoline
- GJ to Gt
- GJ to g TNT
- GJ to kg TNT
- GJ to MMBOE
- GJ to kBOE
- GJ to DGE
Everyday comparisons
Convert to gigajoules
- Joules to gigajoules
- Kilocalories to gigajoules
- Kilowatt-hours to gigajoules
- British thermal units to gigajoules
- Calories to gigajoules
- Kilojoules to gigajoules
- Calories (food) to gigajoules
- Electronvolts to gigajoules
- Watt-hours to gigajoules
- Foot-pounds to gigajoules
- Megajoules to gigajoules
- Therms to gigajoules
Frequently asked questions
What is a gigajoule?
The gigajoule is a billion joules. Natural gas is priced per GJ in Canada, and a ton of TNT releases about 4.2 GJ.
How is the gigajoule defined?
One billion joules.
How many joules are in a gigajoule?
One gigajoule equals 1,000,000,000 joules.
How many kilocalories are in a gigajoule?
One gigajoule equals 239,005.7361 kilocalories.
How many kilowatt-hours are in a gigajoule?
One gigajoule equals 277.7777778 kilowatt-hours.