Answer to Question #184843 in Molecular Physics | Thermodynamics for Mima

Question

A man eats 3500 calories of food. How much work can he perform?

Answer 1

Solution. The calorie is a unit of energy defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a quantity of water by one degree. The SI unit of energy is the joule. One calorie is defined as exactly 4.184 J.

Accordingly, the energy of 3500 calories can be spent on work equal to

$$W=3500\times 4.184=14644J$$

Answer. 14644J