Thermodynamics and Human Population

• Autores: Sean M. Cordry
• Localización: The Physics Teacher, ISSN 0031-921X, Vol. 48, Nº. 6, 2010, págs. 403-407
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • This paper discusses a Fermiproblem exercise through which I take students in several of my college courses. Students work in teams, determining the average daily Caloric needs per person. Then they use insolation values to determine the size of a collection area needed to absorb the previously determined daily energy requirements. Adjustments to the size of the collection area are made based on energy absorption per biological trophic level, as well as the consideration that most diets are a mixture of plant and animalderived elements. Finally, using the total amount of farmland available on the planet, students calculate a maximum population value. Although the maximum population values derived herewith should not be considered authoritative, the exercise has three beneficial purposes: 1 a chance to talk about the modeling process and extrapolations, 2 an unexpected application of physics to social contexts, and 3 raising student awareness of population and energy issues.