Straightforward Easy Maths Problem

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Coen

As long as the paper is straight, we can go forward. (yes I am a Dad...)

Regarding amount of energy stored in the pile paper: what conversion process? Talking potential energy? Chemical energy? Nuclear Energy? Or perhaps how much energy can be expended filling up every page with cerebral thoughts?

Sheesh!!!!!:eye pop:

Ever heard of E=MC^2??!!!

[Steffen]

Originally Posted by renormalised

Ok, what is the total amount of energy stored in that pile of paper??

If I've got my zeros lined up correctly that'd be about 7.48 x 10^26 J, or 2.08 x 10^20 kWh. Assuming the weight of paper is 80g/m^2 and an A4 sheet is 1/16 m^2.

And what is it equivalent to??

That's equivalent to about $38,000,000,000,000,000,000 (assuming 18c/kWh)

Cheers
Steffen.

[sjastro]

Originally Posted by mithrandir

You've been missing the implied unit in the paper. 1 sheet per day.

thickness of 1 sheet * sheets/day * days/year * years all cancels leaving whatever linear unit the sheet thickness is in.

It's not one sheet per day, it's one sheet = one day.
Sheet per day implies a rate of growth or decline.

The maths is even less ambiguous as there is no 1/T dimensional term in the calculations.

Regards

Steven

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Steffen

If I've got my zeros lined up correctly that'd be about 7.48 x 10^26 J, or 2.08 x 10^20 kWh. Assuming the weight of paper is 80g/m^2 and an A4 sheet is 1/16 m^2.



That's equivalent to about $38,000,000,000,000,000,000 (assuming 18c/kWh)

Cheers
Steffen.

In that case, what would you say would be an "average" yearly electricity consumption in terms of kWh?

Because...in terms of lifetime wage earning capacity, if the average worker earns $1-2 million in their lifetime, that's 190-380 billion lifetimes worth

By the time you paid that off, even a dim M class star (born now) would've disappeared off into the sunset

[Steffen]

So, you are saying if I found a way of converting the energy contained in a pile of paper into electricity I'd be a rich man?

I suppose interleaving it page by page with antipaper and then giving it a bit of squeeze should get me started. Do Officeworks sell antipaper…?

Cheers
Steffen.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Steffen

So, you are saying if I found a way of converting the energy contained in a pile of paper into electricity I'd be a rich man?

I suppose interleaving it page by page with antipaper and then giving it a bit of squeeze should get me started. Do Officeworks sell antipaper…?

Cheers
Steffen.

Don't know...might pay to have a look