Kilotettavat

Kilotettavat is a Finnish term that translates to "kilotons of TNT equivalent" or "kT" in English. It is a unit of energy, specifically used to measure the explosive yield of nuclear weapons. The term quantifies the amount of energy released during a nuclear detonation by comparing it to the energy released by detonating a specific amount of the conventional explosive trinitrotoluene (TNT). One kiloton of TNT equivalent is equal to one trillion calories, or approximately 4.184 terajoules.

The use of kilotons allows for a standardized comparison of the destructive power of different nuclear devices. For instance, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima had an estimated yield of 15 kilotons, while the bomb dropped on Nagasaki had a yield of approximately 20 kilotons. Larger nuclear weapons, such as those developed during the Cold War, could have yields measured in megatons (MT), where one megaton is equivalent to one thousand kilotons. Understanding kilotettavat is crucial in discussing the history and implications of nuclear weapons and their potential impact.