Q
QuestionEngineering

Estimate a typical gas mileage (in miles/gallon). How many gallons does it take to go 1 mile? Estimate the energy in a gallon of gas (in joules). How many joules does it take to go 1 mile? Estimate the energy of a human heartbeat (in joules). Estimate how many human heartbeats it would take to drive a car 1 mile.
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Step 1:
I'll solve this problem step by step, using precise estimates and LaTeX formatting:

Step 2:
: Estimate Gas Mileage

- Typical car gets around $$25 \text{ miles/gallon}
- Inverse of this is \frac{1}{25} = 0.04 \text{ gallons/mile}

Step 3:
: Gallons per Mile

- Confirmed estimate: $$0.04 \text{ gallons/mile}

Step 4:
: Energy in a Gallon of Gas

- One gallon of gasoline contains approximately $$1.3 \times 10^{8} \text{ joules}

Step 5:
: Energy to Drive 1 Mile

- Energy per mile = $$0.04 \text{ gallons/mile} \times (1.3 \times 10^{8} \text{ joules/gallon})
- = 5.2 \times 10^{6} \text{ joules/mile}

Step 6:
: Energy of a Human Heartbeat

- Typical heartbeat energy: approximately $$1 \text{ joule}

Step 7:
: Heartbeats to Drive 1 Mile

- $$\frac{5.2 \times 10^{6} \text{ joules/mile}}{1 \text{ joule/heartbeat}} = 5.2 \times 10^{6} \text{ heartbeats/mile}

Final Answer

- Gas Mileage: 25 \text{ miles/gallon} - Gallons per Mile: 0.04 \text{ gallons/mile} - Energy per Mile: 5.2 \times 10^{6} \text{ joules/mile} - Heartbeats to Drive 1 Mile: 5.2 \times 10^{6} \text{ heartbeats}