Word problem to understand the large size of Avogadro's Number

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The discussion focuses on understanding Avogadro's Number through a hypothetical wealth distribution scenario. Participants calculate how much each person would spend after one year if Avogadro's Number of dollars were distributed evenly among the global population, assuming a spending rate of $1000 per second. The calculations involve determining the total amount spent and the percentage of wealth expended, but some participants question the accuracy of the population figure used in the problem. The exercise aims to illustrate the vast scale of Avogadro's Number, though it remains unsolved in the original context. Overall, the conversation highlights the challenge of contextualizing such large numbers in practical terms.
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1. Asume that you distribute Avogadro's Number of dollars evenly among each of the 4.5 x 109 people on earth. Further, assume that everyone spends $1000 each second, day and night.
What percentage of each person's wealth will have been spent after one year?
2. Avogadro's Number = 6.02 x 10233. a) "distribute evenly among" = (6.02 x 1023 / 4.5 x 109)
because $/ppl

b) "everyone spends $1000 each second... after one year" = ($1000 x 3.1536 x 107 s) = 3.1536 x 1010
(31536000 = 60 s x 60 min x 24 hr x 365 day)

c) "What percentage of each person's wealth will have been spent after 1 year"
each person's total wealth = x
percent spent = n
$/year = 3.1536 x 1010

percent spent / each person's total wealth = total spent / amount distributed


n / x = (3.1536 x 1010 s) / (6.02 x 1023 / 4.5 x 109)

cross multiplying leaves me with:

(6.02 x 1023)n = (3.1536 x 1010 x 4.5 x 109)x

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This is an exercise in my chem book, trying to get us to appreciate the scale of Avogadro's Number.. so it isn't answered. But, is this the correct way to think a problem like this through?
@_@
 
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E20 said:
c) "What percentage of each person's wealth will have been spent after 1 year"
each person's total wealth = x
percent spent = n
$/year = 3.1536 x 1010

percent spent / each person's total wealth = total spent / amount distributed
This is not correct. If your total wealth was $10000 and you spent 20% of that, what would the equation look like?
 
Boy, is this problem old! The world's population was estimated to be 4 billion in 1974 and 5 billion in 1987. It hasn't been 4.5 billion in about 30 years or so.
 
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