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Chapter 1: Problem 23

A futile task is proverbially said to be "like trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon." Just how futile is such a task? Estimate the number of teaspoonfuls of water in the Earth's oceans.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: There are approximately 2.664 * 10^23 teaspoonfuls of water in Earth's oceans.

Step by step solution

01

Find the volume of Earth's oceans

First, we need to find the total volume of Earth's oceans. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the total volume of water in Earth's oceans is approximately 1.332 billion cubic kilometers.
02

Convert the ocean volume to liters

We will now convert the volume of Earth's oceans from cubic kilometers to liters. We know that 1 cubic kilometer is equal to 1 trillion (10^12) liters. So, we can multiply the ocean's volume, in cubic kilometers, by 10^12 to find the volume in liters: 1.332 * 10^9 (cubic kilometers) * 10^12 (liters per cubic kilometer) = 1.332 * 10^21 liters
03

Convert the ocean volume to teaspoons

Now, we will convert this volume from liters to teaspoons. We know that 1 liter is equal to 1000 mL, and that there are 5 mL in a teaspoon. Therefore, we can first convert the volume to mL and then divide it by 5 to find the number of teaspoonfuls: (1.332 * 10^21 liters) * (1000 mL per liter) = 1.332 * 10^24 mL Now, we finish the conversion by dividing by 5: (1.332 * 10^24 mL) / 5 (mL per teaspoon) = 2.664 * 10^23 teaspoonfuls The estimated number of teaspoonfuls of water in the Earth's oceans is approximately 2.664 * 10^23 teaspoons. This indeed illustrates the futility of trying to empty the ocean using only a teaspoon.

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