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Chapter 8: Problem 23

Let's say that Earth was originally endowed with one million flerbits, \({ }^{87}\) and that we have already used up 400,000 of them. We currently extract 15,000 per year. How long does the \(\mathrm{R} / \mathrm{P}\) ratio suggest the resource will last?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: The remaining flerbits resource will last for 40 years at the current extraction rate.

Step by step solution

01

Determine the remaining flerbits

First, we need to find out how many flerbits are left after using up 400,000 of them. To do this, subtract 400,000 from the original number of flerbits (1,000,000). Remaining flerbits = 1,000,000 - 400,000
02

Calculate the reserve-to-production (R/P) ratio

To find the R/P ratio for the remaining flerbits, we'll first calculate the Reserve (R) and then divide it by the current Production (P). Reserve (R) = Remaining flerbits Production (P) = 15,000 flerbits per year R/P ratio = R / P R/P ratio = Remaining flerbits / Current extraction rate
03

Calculate the remaining flerbits and current extraction rate

Now we have: Remaining flerbits = 1,000,000 - 400,000 = 600,000 flerbits Current extraction rate = 15,000 flerbits per year
04

Apply the R/P ratio formula to determine how long the resource will last

Now we can apply the R/P ratio formula: R/P ratio = 600,000 flerbits / 15,000 flerbits per year R/P ratio = 40 years Based on the R/P ratio, the remaining flerbits resource will last for 40 years at the current extraction rate.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What if we could get our energy from drinking gasoline? \(^{82}\) Referring to Table \(8.2\), how many grams of gasoline \(^{83}\) would we have to drink daily to satisfy the typical 2,000 kcal/day diet? How much volume does this represent if gasoline is \(0.75 \mathrm{~g} / \mathrm{mL}\) ? Relate this to a familiar container for holding liquids. 8

A gallon of gasoline contains about \(37 \mathrm{kWh}\) of energy and costs about \(\$ 4\), while a typical AA battery holds about \(0.003 \mathrm{kWh}\) and costs about \(\$ 0.50\) each, in bulk. By what factor are batteries more expensive, for the same amount of energy?

Proven remaining reserves of oil, gas, and coal are 10,8, and \(20 \mathrm{ZJ},{ }^{88}\) while we have used 8,4, and \(8 \mathrm{ZJ}\) of each. What fraction of the original total fossil fuel resource have we already used, then?

List at least three negative impacts of fossil fuels that most concern you (or explain why not, if they don't concern you).

As we exploit the best coal resources first, working our way from the premium Anthracite towards Lignite (Table \(8.1\) ), will we need to mine more coal, or less, to achieve the same energy output from coal, in terms of mass removed?
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