Final answer:
The value of 1 mW is a standard unit of power measurement in various contexts such as electronics, power engineering, and sound intensity. Larger units like kW and MW express output power for bigger systems, while a reference intensity of 10-12 W/m2 is used to gauge sound levels relative to the threshold of human hearing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The value referenced to 1 milliwatt (mW) is derived from comparing it to other standards of power measurement used in physics and engineering. For example, your calculator may consume some milliwatts, while a computer consumes about 100 watts. When considering larger scales, units such as the kilowatt (kW), which is equal to one thousand (10³) watts, are used to express the power of engines, motors, and other devices. The watt (W) itself is a unit of power equal to one Joule per second. For perspective, a college campus may require several tens of megawatts (MW), and a large power plant operates in the 1-4 gigawatts (GW) range.
In relation to sound intensity, the reference intensity (I0) is often taken as 10⁻¹² W/m², which is the threshold of human hearing at 10 decibels. This scale aids in understanding the relative intensity of sounds in our environment. The milliwatt is also used as a reference point for measuring electromagnetic power output, particularly in telecommunications.