Final answer:
The cost of running an air conditioner in an office cubicle depends on factors like power consumption and duration of usage. The cost can be calculated using the energy input in joules and the electricity rate. In this case, the cost of running the air conditioner for 1 hour seems to be 11.7 cents, assuming a continuous operation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cost of running an air conditioner in an office cubicle depends on various factors such as the power consumption and the duration of usage. To calculate the cost, we need to consider the power consumption of the air conditioner and the electricity rate.
First, let's calculate the energy input in joules necessary to remove 48,000 British thermal units (BTUs) from a cold environment in 1 hour. Given that the air conditioner has an energy efficiency rating (EER) of 12.0, we can use the formula: energy input = BTUs / EER = 48000 BTUs / 12 = 4000 BTU. Since 1 BTU is approximately 1055 J, the energy input in joules is approximately 4,220,000 J.
Next, let's calculate the cost of this energy input. If the work costs 10.0 cents per 3.60×106 J (one kilowatt-hour), we can calculate the cost as: cost = (energy input in joules / 3.60×106 J) * 10 cents = (4,220,000 J / 3.60×106 J) * 10 cents = 11.7 cents.
Based on the given information, the cost of running the air conditioner for 1 hour seems to be 11.7 cents if the energy efficiency rating (EER) is 12.0. However, it's important to note that this calculation assumes a continuous operation of the air conditioner. In real-life scenarios, air conditioners may not operate continuously, so the actual cost may vary.