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The Earth is thought to contain approximately 125,500 EJ (1018 J = 1 EJ) worth o

ID: 702820 • Letter: T

Question

The Earth is thought to contain approximately 125,500 EJ (1018 J = 1 EJ) worth of recoverable coal. Roughly 26 grams of carbon are emitted per MJ (106 J). (A) If all that coal were burned, what would be the increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration? Assume a 38% stays in the atmosphere. The Earth is thought to contain approximately 125,500 EJ (1018 J = 1 EJ) worth of recoverable coal. Roughly 26 grams of carbon are emitted per MJ (106 J). (A) If all that coal were burned, what would be the increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration? Assume a 38% stays in the atmosphere. The Earth is thought to contain approximately 125,500 EJ (1018 J = 1 EJ) worth of recoverable coal. Roughly 26 grams of carbon are emitted per MJ (106 J). (A) If all that coal were burned, what would be the increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration? Assume a 38% stays in the atmosphere.

Explanation / Answer

Given

Total coal = 125500 EJ = 125500 * 1018 J = 127759000 J

26 g of carbon per MJ = 26 g of per 106 J

No. of g of C = (127759000 J / 106 J ) * 26 g = 31337113.21 g of C = 31337.113 Kg of C