Final answer:
To produce the same energy, it takes 1.61 times more coal (by volume) than oil. To find the number of gallons of oil equivalent to 450 pounds of coal, we need to calculate the volume of coal and then multiply it by the ratio. 450 pounds of coal is equal to 64.8 gallons, so 1.61 times that volume is approximately 104.328 gallons of oil.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how many gallons of oil are needed to produce the same amount of energy as 450 pounds of coal, we need to compare their energy densities. It takes 1.61 times more coal (by volume) than oil to produce the same energy. Given that 1 pound of coal has a volume of 0.144 gallons, we can calculate the volume of 450 pounds of coal, which is 0.144 gallons/pound * 450 pounds = 64.8 gallons. Since it takes 1.61 times more coal than oil, we need 64.8 gallons x 1.61 = 104.328 gallons of oil to produce the same amount of energy as 450 pounds of coal.