Academic Integrity: tutoring, explanations, and feedback — we don’t complete graded work or submit on a student’s behalf.

For saving energy, bicycling and walking are far more efficient means of transpo

ID: 1373531 • Letter: F

Question

For saving energy, bicycling and walking are far more efficient means of transportation than is travel by automobile. For example, when riding at 10.0 mi/h, a cyclist uses food energy at a rate of about 410 kcal/h above what he would use if merely sitting still. (In exercise physiology, power is often measured in kcal/h rather than in watts. Here 1 kcal = 1 nutritionists Calorie = 4186 J.) Walking at 3.20 mi/h requires about 220 kcal/h. It is interesting to compare these values with the energy consumption required for travel by car. Gasoline yields about 1.30 x 10^8 J/gal. (a) Find the fuel economy in equivalent miles per gallon for a person ,walking. mi/gal (b) Find the fuel economy in equivalent miles per gallon for a person bicycling. mi/gal

Explanation / Answer

speed of riding , v = 10.5 mi/hr

a)

time taken to travel 1 mile , t = 1/3 hour

t = 0.333 hour

energy needed to go 1 mile = energy rate * time

energy needed to go 1 mile , E1 = 0.333 * 230kCal

energy needed to go 1 mile = 76.6 Kcal = 76.6* 4186 J

energy needed to go 1 mile = 320605 J

fuel economy = 1.3 *10^8/320605 mi/gallon

fuel economy = 405.5 mile/gallon

the fuel economy of the person walking is 405.5 mile/gallon
b)

time taken to travel 1 mile , t = 1/10.5 hour

t = 0.095 hour

energy needed to go 1 mile = energy rate * time

energy needed to go 1 mile , E1 = 380 * 0.095 kCal

energy needed to go 1 mile = 36.19 Kcal = 36.19 * 4186 J

energy needed to go 1 mile = 151493 J

fuel economy = 1.3 *10^8/151493 mi/gallon

fuel economy = 858.12 mile/gallon

the fuel economy of the person bicycling is 858.12 mile/gallon