Math Problem Statement
A water heater is operated by solar power. If the solar collector has an area of 3.00 m2 and the intensity delivered by sunlight is 550 W/m2, how long does it take to increase the temperature of 1.00 m3 of water from 21.0°C to 61.0°C?
Solution
To find the time it takes to heat the water, we can follow these steps:
Step 1: Determine the Energy Needed to Heat the Water
The energy required to heat water is given by the formula: where:
- is the heat energy (in joules),
- is the mass of the water (in kilograms),
- is the specific heat capacity of water (),
- is the change in temperature.
-
Calculate the mass of water : The density of water is approximately , so:
-
Calculate the temperature change :
-
Calculate :
Step 2: Calculate the Power Supplied by the Solar Collector
The power absorbed by the solar collector is given by: where:
- Intensity = ,
- Area = .
Thus:
Step 3: Calculate the Time Required
The time to heat the water is given by: Substitute and :
Step 4: Convert Time to Hours
To convert seconds to hours:
Final Answer
The time required to heat the water is approximately 28.2 hours.
Would you like a breakdown of each step or have any further questions?
Here are some related questions for practice:
- How would the required time change if the solar collector area were doubled?
- What would happen if the water volume were 2 m³ instead of 1 m³?
- How would the time be affected if the sunlight intensity increased to 700 W/m²?
- If the water started at 15°C instead of 21°C, how long would it take to reach 61°C?
- What would the energy requirement be if the target temperature was 80°C instead of 61°C?
Tip: Always check unit conversions carefully, especially when working with energy and time in physics problems.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Physics
Thermodynamics
Energy and Power
Formulas
Heat energy formula: Q = mcΔT
Power formula: P = intensity × area
Time formula: t = Q/P
Temperature change formula: ΔT = final temperature - initial temperature
Mass of water: m = density × volume
Theorems
-
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 11-12
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