Energy Scales Table

Phenomenon
Energy
Nuclear, Atomic, and Molecular
The average kinetic energy of a gas molecule at room temperature (300o Kelvin=27o Celsius=81o Fahrenheit) 0.026 ev (1 ev = 1x10-19 Joules)
Van Der Waal bonds 0.044 ev
Hydrogen bonds ~0.2 ev
Ionic bonds 0.17 to 0.3 ev
Single covalent bond ~2 to 5 ev
Double covalent bond
between two carbon atoms in a molecule
6.6 ev
Triple covalent bond
between two carbon atoms in a molecule
8.8 ev
Energy required to ionize a Hydrogen atom in its ground state 13.6 ev
Energy required to completely ionize an atom of Uranium 1.2x105 ev
The combined energy of the photons created by the collision of a proton and antiproton 1.9x106 ev
Binding energy of a Deuterium nucleus 2.2x106 ev
Energy of the neutron produced in a Deuterium/Tritium fusion process 14x106 ev
Biological
Energy released by a single ATP molecule in ATP hydrolysis 0.3 to 0.6 ev
The energy required for a single neuron to fire ~103 ev
Energy required for a single bacterial cell to replicate ~106 ev
The energy required for a human heart to beat once 0.5 Joules
One gram of sugar ~1.6x103 Joules
Energy expended by 1 day of heavy labor 107 Joules
Energy in the food consumed by the average person in 1 day 1.2x107 Joules
Technological/Fuel
Energy stored by a AA battery 103 Joules
Energy required to run a 100 Watt light bulb for 1 hour 3.6x105 Joules
Amount of Solar Energy (visible light) striking 1 meter2 of the U.S. surface in one hour (Sun overhead) ~4x105 Joules
Energy required to run an electric stove for 1 hour ~4x107 Joules
Energy released by the combustion of one gallon of gasoline 108 Joules
Electricity used by an average house for 1 year 1010 Joules
Energy required to heat an average house for one year 1011 Joules
Energy required for a one way transatlantic flight by a jet airliner 1012 Joules
Energy required to place the space shuttle in orbit 1013 Joules
Energy stored in 1 pound of Uranium 235 3.7x1013 Joules
Energy released by a one megaton Hydrogen bomb 4x1015 Joules
Yearly fuel/electricity consumption of the United States 7.3x1019 Joules
Geological/Atmospheric/Oceanographic
Lightning bolt 1010 Joules
Total energy released by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake (e.g., 1994 Northridge Earthquake) 3.2x1014 Joules
Thunderstorm 1015 Joules
Hurricane 1015 Joules
Total energy released by a volcano (Krakatoa) 1019 Joules
Fossil fuel left on Earth 2x1023 Joules
Astronomical
Energy released in the collision of comet Shoemaker with Jupiter ~1023 Joules
Solar flare 1024 Joules
Average total energy output of the Sun in a single year ~1034 Joules
Energy released by a quasar in one second ~1039 Joules
Energy released by a ("medium sized") supernova ~1045 Joules