Final answer:
An acre of corn involves substantial inputs, from seeds to fertilizers and energy inputs for machinery. Corn yields two to three times more bushels per acre than wheat, leading to a significant increase in acreage due to economic factors like converging prices.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing the resources that go into an acre of corn, it's important to consider several factors. Corn is known for yielding two to three times as many bushels per acre as wheat, which illustrates the substantial productivity of corn farming. The dramatic increase in corn acreage in areas like North Dakota, traditionally known as 'King Wheat', is partly due to converging prices making corn more economically attractive.
The massive scale at which corn is produced is evident from statistics stating that 4 million acres of corn were harvested, indicating the significance of corn in agriculture. Much of the corn crop is used for applications beyond human consumption, like making biofuels and feeding livestock, which reflects the demand for corn. Considering that an acre of corn can be used for various purposes, including ethanol fuel, where an EROEI (Energy Returned on Energy Invested) of 1.2:1 is achievable, the 'stuff' that goes into corn production is multidimensional ranging from physical resources like seeds, water, and fertilizers to energy inputs for machinery and processing.