Question

A typical person can maintain a steady energy expenditure of 400 W on a bicycle. Assuming a typical efficiency for the body and a generator that is 85% efficient, what useful electric power could you produce with a bicycle-powered generator? Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units.

Answer 1

The useful electric power that could be produced with a bicycle-powered generator is 340 W. Therefore, the useful electric power that could be produced with a bicycle-powered generator is 340 W.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the useful electric power that can be produced with a bicycle-powered generator, we need to consider the efficiency of both the body and the generator.

Given that a typical person can maintain a steady energy expenditure of 400 W on a bicycle and the generator is 85% efficient, we can calculate the useful electric power using the formula:

Useful electric power (in W) = Power output of the body (in W) x Efficiency of the generator

Substituting the values, we get:

Useful electric power = 400 W x 0.85 = 340 W

Therefore, the useful electric power that could be produced with a bicycle-powered generator is 340 W.