Final answer:
To find the useful energy produced in one hour, we need to find the efficiency of the coal power plant. The efficiency can be calculated by dividing the energy produced by the energy supplied by coal. The useful energy is then found by multiplying the efficiency with the total energy input.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the useful energy produced in one hour, we need to find the efficiency of the coal power plant. Efficiency is defined as the useful energy output divided by the total energy input. In this case, the energy supplied by coal in one hour is 500,000 J. The energy produced by the power plant is 380,000 J. To find the useful energy, we can use the formula:
Useful energy = Efficiency * Total energy input
Given that the energy supplied by coal is the total energy input, we can rearrange the formula to:
Useful energy = Efficiency * 500,000 J
Now, let's find the efficiency using the given information:
Efficiency = (Energy produced / Energy supplied by coal) * 100%
Efficiency = (380,000 J / 500,000 J) * 100%
Efficiency = 76%
Now we can calculate the useful energy:
Useful energy = 76% * 500,000 J
Useful energy = 380,000 J