Need help with physics question about Calories.

In summary, the question is asking how many times one must walk up a 4 meter flight of stairs to burn 500 calories. This can be calculated by determining the change in gravitational potential energy and comparing it to the energy of 500 food calories.
  • #1
chris22
2
0
:yuck: Can anyone help me figure out this question?
If you have just consumed 500 Calories of food, how many times do you have to walk up a flight of stairs in order to burn all the Calories?

A flight of stairs is = to 4 meters
500 Calories * 4180 Joules = 2090000 Joules

WORK=JOULES:

Thanks :biggrin:



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  • #2
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/humeng.html

Make sure you get food calorie and thermodynamic calorie correct, which it appears you did.

One has to calculate the change in gravitational potential energy for 4 meters, and determine how many times one must traverse 4m to equal the 500 food calories.

One has to do work going up, but one also does work going down (although not at the same rate).
 
  • #3

Hi there, I would be happy to help you with your question! First, let's convert the 500 Calories into Joules. Since 1 Calorie is equal to 4180 Joules, we can multiply 500 by 4180 to get 2,090,000 Joules.

Next, we need to determine how much work it takes to walk up a flight of stairs. According to your information, a flight of stairs is equal to 4 meters. To calculate the work, we use the formula W = Fd, where W is work, F is force, and d is distance. Since we are walking up the stairs, we are working against gravity, which has a force of 9.8 meters per second squared. Therefore, the work required to walk up a flight of stairs is 9.8 * 4 = 39.2 Joules.

Now, to figure out how many times you would need to walk up a flight of stairs to burn 2,090,000 Joules, we divide the total Joules by the work required for one flight of stairs. This gives us 2,090,000 / 39.2 = 53,316.33. So, you would need to walk up a flight of stairs 53,316 times to burn 500 Calories.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions. Keep in mind that this calculation is an estimate and may vary based on individual factors such as weight and intensity of movement. It's always best to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice on burning calories. Good luck!
 

1. What is a calorie?

A calorie is a unit of measurement for energy. It is defined as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius.

2. How is a calorie related to physics?

In physics, a calorie is used to measure the amount of energy released or absorbed in a chemical reaction or physical process. It is also used to measure the energy content of food.

3. How do you calculate the number of calories in a food item?

The number of calories in a food item can be calculated by using the food's macronutrient content (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) and multiplying it by their respective calorie values per gram. Then, these values are added together to get the total number of calories in the food.

4. How many calories do I need to consume in a day?

The number of calories a person needs in a day varies depending on factors such as age, gender, weight, and activity level. A general guideline is that an average adult needs around 2000-2500 calories per day to maintain their weight.

5. Can you convert calories to other units of energy?

Yes, calories can be converted to other units of energy such as joules or kilowatt-hours. One calorie is equivalent to approximately 4.18 joules or 0.00000116 kilowatt-hours.

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