Final answer:
To convert the energy released by the gas furnace from kilocalories to kilojoules, we can multiply the given energy in kilocalories by the conversion factor of 4.184 J/cal. The energy released by the gas furnace is therefore 1756.88 kilojoules.
Step-by-step explanation:
To convert the energy released by the gas furnace from kilocalories to kilojoules, we can use the conversion factor of 4.184 J = 1 cal. Since we know that 1 kcal = 1000 cal, we can multiply the given energy in kilocalories by 4.184 to get the energy in kilojoules.
Using this conversion, 420 kcal x 4.184 J/cal = 1756.88 J. Therefore, the energy released by the gas furnace is 1756.88 kilojoules.