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

In summary, assuming that Avogadro's Number of dollars is distributed evenly among the 4.5 x 10^9 people on earth, and each person spends $1000 per second, day and night, the percentage of each person's wealth that will have been spent after one year is not answerable due to the outdated population estimate and lack of information regarding each person's total wealth.
  • #1
E20
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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

----
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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  • #2
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?
 
  • #3
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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1. What is Avogadro's Number?

Avogadro's Number is a constant used in chemistry to represent the number of particles (atoms, molecules, ions, etc.) in one mole of a substance. It is approximately equal to 6.02 x 10^23.

2. Why is Avogadro's Number so large?

Avogadro's Number is large because it represents the number of particles in just one mole of a substance. One mole is a unit of measurement that is used to quantify the amount of a substance, and it is equal to the number of particles present in 12 grams of carbon-12.

3. How do scientists use Avogadro's Number?

Scientists use Avogadro's Number to convert between the mass of a substance and the number of particles present. It allows them to make precise measurements and calculations in chemistry and other scientific fields.

4. Can you provide an example of how Avogadro's Number is used?

One example is in the conversion from grams to moles. Avogadro's Number is used to determine the number of particles present in a given mass of a substance. For example, 1 mole of water contains 6.02 x 10^23 water molecules.

5. Is Avogadro's Number the same for all substances?

Yes, Avogadro's Number is a universal constant and is the same for all substances. It does not change based on the type of particle or substance being measured.

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