picowatts
Trillionths of watts
Picowatts are trillionths of a watt—units of power so minuscule they measure things like the faint signals reaching radio telescopes or the output of tiny sensors.
The prefix pico- denotes 10⁻¹², making a picowatt one million millionth of a watt: The detector registered just a few picowatts of incoming light.
Standard measures of quantity
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- metrologyScience of precise quantification
- instrumentationDesign of measuring devices
- sensorsDevices that detect input
accuracy · resolution · quantification · standards · specifications · benchmarking · multimeter · oscilloscope
Quantity approaching zero
- minusculeExtremely small in size
- microscopicToo small for eyes
- traceMinute remnant or pursue
- negligibleToo small to consider
imperceptible · minute · tiny · ultra-low · threshold · background · ambient
Partial electrical conductor
- transistorSemiconductor signal switch
- microprocessorCompact computing circuit
- sensorInput-detecting device
- photodiodeLight-to-current semiconductor
LED · capacitor · resistor · low-power · standby · leakage · signal · amplifier
units
Standard measures of quantity
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- metrologyScience of precise quantification
- instrumentationDesign of measuring devices
sensors · accuracy · resolution · quantification · standards · specifications · benchmarking · multimeter · oscilloscope · gauge
infinitesimal
Quantity approaching zero
- minusculeExtremely small in size
- microscopicToo small for eyes
- traceMinute remnant or pursue
negligible · imperceptible · minute · tiny · ultra-low · threshold · background · ambient
semiconductor
Partial electrical conductor
- transistorSemiconductor signal switch
- microprocessorCompact computing circuit
- sensorInput-detecting device
photodiode · LED · capacitor · resistor · low-power · standby · leakage · signal · amplifier · detector