Question

Human-powered aircraft require a pilot to pedal, as in a bicycle, and produce a sustained power output of about 0.30 hp. The Gossamer Albatross flew across the English Channel on June 12, 1979, in 2 hours 49 minutes. How much energy did the pilot consume during the flight?

Answer 1

The pilot consumed approximately 2,400.6 kJ of food energy during the flight.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the food energy consumed by the pilot during the flight, we need to first calculate the total energy output by the pilot. The power output of the pilot is given as 0.30 hp. We need to convert this to watts: 1 hp = 745.7 W, so 0.30 hp = 0.30 * 745.7 W = 223.71 W.

Next, we need to calculate the total time of the flight in seconds. The flight was 2 hours 49 minutes, which is equal to 2 * 60 * 60 + 49 * 60 = 10,740 seconds.

Finally, we can calculate the energy consumed by multiplying the power output by the time: energy = power * time = 223.71 W * 10,740 s = 2,400,579.4 joules. Since 1 kilojoule (kJ) is equal to 1000 joules, the energy consumed by the pilot during the flight is approximately 2,400,579.4 / 1000 = 2,400.6 kJ.