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A megavolt (MV) is a unit used to measure electrical potential, or voltage.
As a part of the International System of Units (SI), its official symbol is MV. The prefix "mega" means one million, so one megavolt is equal to a staggering one million volts (106 V).
To put the immense power of a megavolt into perspective, consider the standard electrical outlet in your home, which is typically 120 volts (in the US) or 240 volts (in many other parts of the world).
A single megavolt is over 8,000 times more powerful than a US household outlet!
This extremely high voltage is far beyond what we encounter in everyday life and is reserved for specialized industrial and natural phenomena.
Due to this immense power, voltages in the megavolt range are incredibly dangerous and require extensive safety measures and insulation.
You won't find megavolts in your home electronics.
Still, they are crucial in several high-power applications and are often found in nature.
High-Voltage Power Lines: Long-distance power transmission lines often operate at hundreds of thousands of volts (approaching the megavolt scale) to transmit electricity efficiently across countries.
Scientific Research: Particle accelerators, like those at CERN, use multiple megavolts to propel subatomic particles at nearly the speed of light for physics experiments.
Lightning Strikes: Nature's most dramatic electrical event, a lightning bolt, can generate an electrical potential of 100 megavolts or more, releasing a massive amount of energy in an instant.