1 milliwatt
1 mWPower · definition
The quantity is exact as entered. Comparisons use the clearly stated specimen, model or nominal measurement.
Power
Just how powerful is 1 milliwatt?
Tiny devices
1 mW
ENERGY EACH SECOND
1 milliwatt
The quantity is exact as entered.
1 mWPower
0
Single-mode laser pointer optical output
Single-mode laser pointer optical output is the continuous visible light power emitted by a standard handheld laser pointer operating in a single spatial mode.
5 mWRated continuous optical output
0
Power is energy per unit time: one watt is one joule per second.
A little perspective
The optical output of a single-mode laser pointer is about 5 times 1 milliwatt.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
1 milliwatt
Power: 1 mW; definition.
The quantity is exact as entered. Comparisons use the clearly stated specimen, model or nominal measurement.
Single-mode laser pointer optical output
Rated continuous optical output: 5 mW; defined upper reference; range 1 mW–5 mW.
A defined 5 mW visible laser pointer output. The 0.3 J comparison is power multiplied by 60 seconds; beam class, wavelength and actual output matter.
US FDA — Laser products and instruments
The marked rated continuous optical output is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Measurement details
Why these numbers?
Compare 1 milliwatt with the optical output of a single-mode laser pointer. The notes below explain how each value was chosen.
Single-mode laser pointer optical output
5 mWRated continuous optical output · defined upper reference · range 1 mW–5 mW
A defined 5 mW visible laser pointer output. The 0.3 J comparison is power multiplied by 60 seconds; beam class, wavelength and actual output matter.
- Comparing
- Power ↔ Rated continuous optical output
- Relative size
- The optical output of a single-mode laser pointer is about 5 times 1 milliwatt. The optical output of a single-mode laser pointer is approximately 400% greater than 1 milliwatt.
How to read the visual
The diagram uses the recorded measurements. Details outside the marked spans do not set the scale.
- We use 5 mW for the optical output of a single-mode laser pointer; the recorded range is 1 mW–5 mW.
- The optical output of a single-mode laser pointer: This is an illustrative comparison value, not a claim that every example is the same.
- The recorded ranges overlap, so the ordering can vary even though the central values differ.
Power is the rate of energy transfer or use, not the total energy.
0.001 Wwatts
1.341 × 10⁻⁶ hpmechanical horsepower
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