tenthofawatt

The tenthofawatt is a nonstandard, informal term that refers to a power level of 0.1 watt (1/10 watt). In the International System of Units (SI), the standardized unit for this quantity is the deciwatt, symbol dW. Therefore, one tenth of a watt is exactly 1 dW. In terms of other SI prefixes, 0.1 W is also equal to 100 milliwatts (mW).

Usage of the term tenthofawatt is uncommon in formal science and engineering. The deciwatt (dW) exists as the official SI-derived unit for 0.1 W, but it is rarely used in modern practice; most measurements are given directly in watts or milliwatts. When precision is required, it is clearer to state the value in W or mW rather than relying on a less common descriptor. Some older instruments or niche literature may reference deciwatts, but contemporary standards generally prefer standard units without introducing nonstandard compound names.

Examples and context help illustrate the scale. A typical small LED may consume on the order of tens to hundreds of milliwatts, while a modest audio amplifier might operate around a fraction of a watt to a few watts. Expressing power in deciwatts or tenths of a watt is largely a historical or pedagogical convenience rather than a widespread practice in engineering documentation. See also deciwatt, watt, and milliwatt.