Can Humans Generate Enough Heat to Power the World?

  • Thread starter Don East
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Heat
In summary, the conversation discusses the amount of heat produced by humans and the potential energy that could be generated from it. The speaker also wonders how to explain this concept to the average person. However, it is noted that the idea may not be feasible or useful.
  • #1
Don East
1
0
The average heat produced by one human is 116 watts. There 7 billion people in the world today. That equals 812 billion watts of energy. How do I explain this to the average person.
Thanks Don East
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #2
Don East said:
The average heat produced by one human is 116 watts. There 7 billion people in the world today. That equals 812 billion watts of energy. How do I explain this to the average person.
Thanks Don East

What's the point? And a Watt is a unit of power, not of energy...
 
  • #3
What's there to explain?
 
  • #4
Don East said:
The average heat produced by one human is 116 watts. There 7 billion people in the world today. That equals 812 billion watts of energy. How do I explain this to the average person.
Thanks Don East


It means we are generating 800% as much energy as the whole of France consumes in a day. Tap our enegies for only a day and France will be sorted for the next eight days. :)
 
Last edited:
  • #5
boit said:
It means that were we to somehow pool our thermal energies and convert same to electricy, we wouldn't match the nuclear power plant in Califonia which delivers almost thre times that much (some 2.1 thousand Mega Watts of power).

Check your math.
 
  • #6
Nugatory said:
Check your math.


Checked and edited accordingly. My bad.
 
  • #7
yea so let's get all the humans in the world and set them on fire and let the aliens enjoy the energy :P
there is no possible way to harvest radiated human energy i believe , and it would be useless nonetheless
 

What is the definition of "The total heat of humans"?

The total heat of humans refers to the amount of heat energy produced by all living humans. It includes both the heat generated by the human body's metabolism and the heat released from activities such as exercise and daily tasks.

How is the total heat of humans measured?

The total heat of humans is typically measured in units of watts (W), which represents the amount of heat energy produced per second. It can be measured using specialized equipment such as calorimeters or by calculating the average metabolic rate of a group of individuals.

What factors affect the total heat of humans?

The total heat of humans can be affected by a variety of factors, including age, gender, body composition, physical activity, and environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. Overall, individuals with a higher metabolic rate and those who engage in more physical activity tend to produce more heat.

Why is understanding the total heat of humans important?

Understanding the total heat of humans is important for a variety of reasons. It can help us better understand the human body's energy needs and how they may change in different situations. It also has implications for areas such as building design and energy conservation, as well as for studying the effects of climate change on human health and well-being.

Can the total heat of humans be harnessed as a source of energy?

While the total heat of humans may seem like a significant amount of energy, it is not currently practical or efficient to harness it as a source of energy. The heat produced by humans is relatively low and dispersed, making it difficult to capture and convert into usable energy. Additionally, there are ethical concerns surrounding the use of human heat as an energy source.

Similar threads

Replies
32
Views
2K
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
17
Views
2K
  • Thermodynamics
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
11
Views
2K
  • Thermodynamics
Replies
23
Views
3K
Replies
4
Views
974
  • Electrical Engineering
2
Replies
38
Views
533
Replies
11
Views
1K
Replies
14
Views
1K
Back
Top