Convert Carat (car, ct) to Kiloton (Metric) (kt) instantly.
About these units
Carat (car, ct)
The carat, equal to 200 milligrams, is the standard unit for measuring gemstones and pearls. Its origins trace to the seeds of the carob tree, which were historically thought to have remarkably uniform mass, making them convenient reference weights for early traders. In the modern gem trade, carats measure both weight and (informally) influence perceived value—though size and quality factors such as clarity and color also play major roles. High-precision digital scales capable of reading to 0.001 carat are common in gemology. The carat's persistence shows how specialized units evolve to meet the needs of niche industries. Though small, its economic impact is enormous due to the value of gemstones.
Kiloton (Metric) (kt)
A kiloton, equal to 1,000 metric tons, is used in large-scale industrial, geological, and agricultural contexts. However, the term is better known for expressing explosive yields, particularly of nuclear weapons. Scientists estimate the energy release of explosions by comparing them to the detonation of 1,000 tons of TNT. For example, the Hiroshima bomb had a yield of about 15 kilotons. Outside military contexts, kilotons appear in discussions of carbon emissions, waste production, and global resource extraction. They provide a manageable scale for describing quantities too large for tons but not yet at the megaton level.